This is NPR's life kit.

I'm Stephanie O'Neill, a regular NPR contributor

who's covered major wildfires in the American West

for nearly 20 years.

This episode, how to stay safe in wildfire country.

Living in or visiting California and the West

means knowing how to prepare your home,

how to safely evacuate, and what to do if you get trapped.

With a blanket of smoke hanging over the West Coast,

it's more important than ever to make sure

your wildfire ready.

Fire expert Portfiorio Chavarilla specializes

in the intersection of wildlands and communities

at the Santa Fe Fire Department in New Mexico.

Preparation, he says, starts with asking yourself

some important questions well before you smell smoke.

What's my situation individually?

And what are the best decisions that I can make

for my family and my livelihood?

Chavarilla is going to explain how to think

about your evacuation plan, how to prep your home,

and how to protect yourself against wildfire.

...