Understanding Wildfire Safety
Steps to keep you and your family safe
Wildfires can start, grow and change directions in dry and windy conditions, so it’s important to stay prepared and safe.
No matter where you live, understanding your wildfire risk can make all the difference during an emergency. Below are some safety tips to keep you and your family safe:
- Create an evacuation plan with at least two evacuation routes from your home and neighborhood and decide where you’ll go (family, hotel, shelter) if you must leave.
- Build an emergency kit including water, non-perishable food, flashlights, radios, phone chargers/backup battery, first aid supplies, cash, copies of important documents and required medications.
- Enroll in available programs to receive the latest on your service and potentially hazardous conditions. Sign up for our Power Alert Service® to receive alerts via text, call or email when outages affect your home or business, restoration time estimates and a notification when power is restored. Additionally, to stay informed during fire weather events, sign up for local emergency alerts and regularly monitor weather forecasts, fire conditions and emergency notifications.
- Reduce ignition risk near homes by clearing dead grass, leaves and debris. If your trees are too close to power lines, call us at 713-207-2222 to request tree trimming assistance. For more information on vegetation management visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Trees.
- Prepare for wildfire smoke by purchasing a portable air purifier or HVAC filter and keeping masks/respirators on hand.
- Stay away from downed powerlines during wildfires. Assume all lines are live and call 911 and CenterPoint at 713-207-2222.
- Bookmark CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter or follow our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram and X) for access to resources and real-time updates during severe weather.
