Red Cross Helps as Wildfires Force Thousands from Their Homes - American Red Cross

Fast-moving wildfires in Arizona and New Mexico have forced thousands of people to leave their homes and the American Red Cross is there, providing safe shelter, food and comfort.

Red Cross disaster teams have shelters open in New Mexico and Arizona where close to 30 people spent Sunday night.

In Arizona, three large fires are burning. The Tunnel Fire north of Flagstaff is zero percent contained and has already destroyed more than 20,000 acres. More than 750 homes are under evacuation orders.

In New Mexico, firefighters are battling six large wildfires. More than 6,000 homes are under either mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders. The Cooks Peak fire located north of Las Vegas, NM, has destroyed more than 23,000 acres and is zero percent contained.

CLIMATE CHANGE A FACTOR A report by the United Nations states," devastating wildfires are burning longer and hotter in places they have always occurred and flaring up in unexpected places too. The heating of the planet is turning landscapes into tinderboxes, while more extreme weather means stronger, hotter, drier winds to fan the flames."

CRITICAL TO GET READY NOW Experts predict another very active wildfire season this year due to our changing climate and the Red Cross is urging everyone in wildfire prone areas to get ready now. Wildfire season is really all year round, but most fires occur between June and August. These fires can happen anywhere in the country and that's why it is so critical for people to make their preparedness plans now.

WILDFIRE PREVENTION People cause 85% of wildfires by burning debris, using equipment improperly, discarding cigarettes carelessly, leaving campfires unattended or intentionally setting a fire. To help prevent wildfires, follow these tips:

• Don't drive your vehicle onto dry grass or brush. Hot components under your vehicle can spark fires.
  
• Use equipment responsibly. Lawn mowers, chain saws, tractors and trimmers can all spark a wildfire.
  
• Use caution any time you use fire. Dispose of charcoal briquettes and fireplace ashes properly, never leave any outdoor fire unattended, and make sure that outdoor fires are fully extinguished before leaving the area.
  
• If residential debris burning is allowed — use caution. After obtaining any necessary permits, ensure that burning is. not currently restricted in your area.
  
• Store combustible or flammable materials in approved safety containers away from the house.

BEFORE A WILDFIRE Follow these easy steps to help make sure your family is prepared to either evacuate or shelter in place.

• Create an evacuation plan. If you already have a plan, update and it and review with family members so everyone knows what to do if an emergency occurs.
  
• Build an emergency kit. If you already have a disaster kit, now is the time make sure the food and water is still okay to consume and that copies of important documents are up to date.
  
• Be informed. Find out how local officials will contact you during a wildfire emergency and how you will get important information, such as evacuation orders.
  
• Download the free Red Cross Emergency app to help keep you and your loved ones safe with real-time alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and safety advice on wildfires and other emergencies.

WILDFIRE SAFETY Have access to alerts and notifications so that you can monitor conditions and receive instructions from local officials, even during a power outage.

• Keep track of fires near you so you can be ready to evacuate quickly. You may have only minutes to get out.
  
• Register to receive any free emergency alerts from your community.  Understand your community's plan to notify individuals with disabilities.
  
• Purchase a battery-powered radio to receive information from local authorities during a power outage.
  
• Find an outdoor water source such as a pond, well, even a swimming pool, and have a hose that can reach any area of your property.
  
• Create a fire-resistant zone free of leaves, debris or flammable materials for at least 30 feet out from your home.
  
• Regularly clean roofs and gutters.
  
• Make sure driveway entrances and your house number are clearly marked so fire vehicles can get to your home.
  
• Designate a room that can be closed off from outside air. Close all doors and windows. Set up a portable air cleaner to keep indoor pollution levels low when smoky conditions exist.
  
• Use fire-resistant materials to build, renovate or make repairs.
  
• Post emergency phone numbers by every phone in your house and make sure everyone has those numbers in their cell phones.
  

IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice and obey all evacuation orders from officials. Follow these steps (if time allows):

• Shut all windows and doors. Remove flammable window shades, curtains and close metal shutters.
  
• Move flammable furniture to the center of the room, away from windows and doors.
  
• Shut off gas at the meter; turn off pilot lights. Shut off the air conditioning.
  
• Gather up flammable items from the exterior of the house and bring them inside (patio furniture, toys, trash cans).
  
• Turn off propane tanks. Move propane BBQ appliances away from structures.
  
• Don't leave sprinklers on or water running, they can affect critical water pressure.
  
• Back your loaded car into the driveway and keep all doors and windows closed.
  
• Ensure your emergency supplies kit is in your vehicle.
  
• Locate your pets and take them with you.

CORPORATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS HELP The generous donations from members of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and the Disaster Responder Program enable the American Red Cross to prepare communities for disasters big and small, respond whenever and wherever disasters occur and help families during the recovery process.

ADGP $1 Million members are: Amazon; American Airlines; Anheuser-Busch Foundation; Anthem Foundation; Bank of America; Best Buy; Caterpillar Foundation; Costco Wholesale; Delta Air Lines; Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation; FedEx; The Home Depot Foundation; Latter-day Saint Charities; Lilly Endowment Inc.; Lowe's Companies, Inc.; McDonald's Corporation; Microsoft Corp.; Nationwide Foundation; PetSmart Charities; The Starbucks Foundation; State Farm; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; Truist Foundation; VSP Vision; Walmart and the Walmart Foundation; and Wells Fargo.

ADGP $500,000 members are: Altria Group; Aon; Calmoseptine, Inc.; Capital One; CarMax; Citi; The Clorox Company; Darden Foundation; Delta Dental Community Care Foundation; Edison International; Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation; Ford Motor Company Fund; Fox Corporation; General Motors; HCA Healthcare; International Paper; The J.M. Smucker Company; Johnson Controls Foundation; The Kroger Co. Foundation; Liberty Mutual Insurance; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Mastercard; Merck; Mondelēz International Foundation; New Balance Foundation; Organon; PayPal; PepsiCo Foundation; Salesforce; Southeastern Grocers Gives Foundation & Southeastern Grocers, home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie; Stanley Black & Decker; Target; The TJX Companies, Inc.; Toyota; United Airlines; UPS; USAA; Visa Foundation; The Walt Disney Company; and The Wawa Foundation.

Disaster Responder Program members are: 7-Eleven Cares Foundation; Adobe; American Express; Ameriprise Financial; Assurant; AT&T; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; Avangrid Foundation; Barclays; Big 5 Sporting Goods; Bread Financial; Choice Hotels International; Cisco Foundation; CNA Insurance; The Coca-Cola Company; CSX; The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation; Discover; Dollar General; Duke Energy; Dutch Bros Foundation; Equitable; FirstEnergy Corporation; Gopuff; Harbor Freight Tools Foundation, LLC; Hewlett Packard Enterprise Foundation; HP Foundation; Humble Bundle; Kaiser Permanente; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; The Kraft Heinz Company Foundation; The Labcorp Charitable Foundation; Lenovo Foundation; LHC Group; Major League Baseball; Marathon Petroleum Foundation, Inc.; Martin Marietta; Mattress Firm; McKesson; MetLife Foundation; Neiman Marcus Group; NextEra Energy, Inc.; Northrop Grumman; Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation; Old Dominion Freight Line; Pacific Life Foundation; Procter & Gamble; Prudential Financial; Raytheon Technologies; Reckitt; Rodan + Fields Prescription for Change Project; Ross Stores Foundation; Ryder System, Inc.; San Manuel Band of Mission Indians; Security Finance's Lending Hand Foundation; ServiceNow, Inc.; Southwest Airlines; Tata Consultancy Services; U-Haul International; and U.S. Bank Foundation.