Wildfire Preparedness Resource Guide

One of the top priorities for local schools is to provide a safe and secure learning environment for students, which includes preparing for a variety of circumstances. In California, high winds and extremely dry conditions can create extreme fire danger, requiring schools to prepare for the varied and complex impact of wildfires, smoke, and/or poor air quality. At times, local power supplier SDGE may issue a Public Safety Power Shutoff or PSPS, in which electric power may be shut off for public safety in an effort to prevent a wildfire. All San Diego County schools have established a fire protection and evacuation plan and work regularly with public safety agencies to coordinate preparedness efforts to protect life, property, and critical infrastructure, and to clearly outline procedures and protocols for when evacuation or voluntary dismissal becomes necessary. 

Schools should make sure their plan is updated before there is a fire event. If your district or school does not have an existing School Protection and Evacuation Plan, now is the time to collaborate with your local law enforcement and fire officials to create one. It includes an Evacuation Decision Tree, response protocols and procedures, communications supports, and other resources. Share this plan, along with your school’s Comprehensive School Safety Plan, with families each year. Contact San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) Safety Coordinator Tim Ware at tim.ware@sdcoe.net for additional assistance.   

The following resources are intended to assist our school communities in preparing for wildfires, as well as the impacts resulting from poor air quality. For information on how a specific campus is preparing for these situations, please contact your district or school’s front office.

 

Skip to Section: District/School Preparedness Considerations    Curriculum   

Support from SDCOE   Family Preparedness Resources  Coping With Wildfire Events

 

District/School Preparedness Considerations

Resources to monitor local conditions

Air quality: AirNow, a web page supported by multiple government agencies, lists current and forecasted air quality for San Diego County.

Weather: This National Weather Service page provides current weather and forecasted weather conditions.

Regional emergency management: The San Diego County Office of Emergency Services provides updates on all local emergency responses on the Alert San Diego webpage.

Considerations for modified operations or school closures

If there is a wildfire or if the Air Quality Index drops as a result of a fire, the The San Diego County Office of Education encourages school leaders to refer to guidelines in the School Air Quality Activity Recommendations (updated in Oct. 2024), which were created by the California Department of Education in partnership with the California Department of Public Health, the California Air Resources Board, the California County Superintendents, and the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association.. 

Decisions will be made on minimizing the risk for students and staff members. Some steps may include:

• Moving recess and/or lunch indoors
• Moving physical education indoors
• Canceling after-school outdoor activities or sports

The decision to close schools is made by each local educational agency and is based on recommendations from local health, law enforcement, and fire agencies, as well as answers to questions such as:

• Is there imminent danger to site(s) such as fire, downed power lines, etc.?
• Are there significant traffic delays or road closures that will affect bus routes or impede evacuation?
• How would the loss of power impact student safety?
• Do wind levels and air quality allow for safe travel to/from school?
• Would it be safer to move students to a different location rather than close? 
• Would districts/schools have sufficient staffing for classroom and office coverage, given traffic and road conditions?

If in-person instruction is temporarily unavailable due to poor air quality or other impacts of a nearby wildfire, each local educational agency (school district, charter school, or private school) would make decisions relating to opening or closing a school(s) or alternate learning formats (e.g., distance learning).

You may also find this guidance from the California Environmental Protection Agency helpful when considering actions around wildfire or these additional air quality resources on the CDE website.

 

Disaster Preparedness and Fire-Related Curriculum

The Preparedness Ambassadors Program curriculum is designed to engage fourth grade students to develop and promote disaster preparedness guidelines for their homes, school, and local community. This program was created by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services in partnership with the California Department of Education, CalRecycle, and the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Other sites that can engage students with learning include CAL FIRE’s wildfire data and AlertWildFire, created by a consortium of universities providing fire cameras and tools to help firefighters and first responders. Teachers, students, and community members can check out the regional cameras in San Diego and follow fire updates across the state.

Fire-Related Curriculum

The more students know about the science of fire, the better they can prevent and prepare for wildfires. SDCOE has three environmental phenomena resources focused on wildfire that are aligned to Next Generation Science Standards:
Grade 3
Grade 5
Middle school
 

In the Event of School Closure During Wildfire

SDCOE designed units of study in grades K-12 that are focused on grade-level essential learnings in each content area. These units were purposefully designed to integrate content, provide flexibility, and choice. The units of study connect content in the following areas: English language arts, English language development, mathematics, science, history/social science, arts, computer science, and physical education through integrated study in K-5 and thematic units in grades 6 through high school. Assessment opportunities (formative and summative) and student feedback are embedded and intentionally developed. They can be downloaded and personalized for free. 

 

Support from SDCOE

In the past, SDCOE has provided technical support and access to computers at our main campus; information on how to safely clean up after a fire, including descriptions of proper safety equipment and procedures; crisis support teams to help adults and children in affected areas; and materials on how to help students work through any anxiety or emotional distress the fires may have created or aggravated. In addition, during a wildfire event, SDCOE provides real-time updates on its website and social media channels, and works with the media to disseminate information broadly across the county.
 
Should the state make personal protective equipment such as N95 masks available for distribution to school staff members, students, and community members in the event of poor air conditions, SDCOE will notify school leaders and coordinate distribution.

 

Family Preparedness Resources

Districts and schools have emergency and wildfire preparedness plans and have drills regularly to practice evacuation routes and emergency procedures. It’s just as important for families to also be prepared in the event of an emergency or wildfire nearby. Get familiar with the plan at your child’s school as it may inform your own family’s emergency planning. 

Be Prepared: According to the Red Cross, in a wildfire “you may have to leave your home quickly to stay safe. Know where you will go, how you will get there, and where you will stay. Have different escape routes from your home and community. Practice these routes so everyone in your household is familiar with them. Be sure to understand how your community will respond to a wildfire.”

The Red Cross offers tips and resources to support you in gathering emergency supplies and making a plan to stay connected.

Make sure your children are also part of the process. The Red Cross has created age-appropriate digital resources and videos on wildfires and other common hazards to help families and educators to help children be better prepared in an emergency. Visit redcross.org/youthprep for details.

The Burn Institute has family and community resources available to download in English and Spanish that focus on fire and burn prevention in the home as well as wildfire resources such as family fire escape planning. 

Monitor local conditions: For the latest emergency updates in English and Spanish, visit Alert San Diego and download the SD Emergency app. If you are affected by the fire and need to talk to someone by phone about evacuations, shelters, road closures, and other non-emergency disaster-related services, call 211. If you are hearing impaired, dial 711 and ask to be connected to 858-300-1211. 

You may also consider registering your cell phone and email address with Alert San Diego to receive evacuation orders/warnings, protective actions, and disaster-related information. Listed and unlisted landlines are already included in the database and do not need to be registered.

Alert San Diego also has disaster preparedness resources for disasters San Diego is most at risk for.

During a wildfire: In the event of a fire, there are steps people can take to protect themselves from smoke and poor air quality.

1. In areas where you smell smoke, it is advised that you limit physical activity and, if possible, stay indoors to limit your exposure.
2. If you are bothered by smoke or sensitive to it, you should move out of it until it clears up. You can shelter inside, but if it gets smoky inside, leaving is the best idea.
3. If you are advised to stay indoors, keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows and doors closed unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. 

 

Coping With Wildfire Events

If a wildfire event were to occur in the county, it could have significant impacts on staff, students, and families. The National Association of School Psychologists has put together some tips for parents and teachers to help children after a traumatic event.