Wildfire evacuations can be stressful. Here's how Albertans can prepare

Wildfire season has officially started in Alberta. As the snow starts to melt, people are starting to wonder: Will I have to evacuate this year? 

Over the last 10 years, there have been several large-scale evacuations due to wildfires in Alberta, including Fort McMurray in 2016 and Jasper in 2024. 

Melanie Galea said she “wasn’t prepared,” when she evacuated Fort McMurray during the Horse River Fire.

“When your brain becomes stressed, your logic goes out the window,” Galea said.

That was seen in her packing choices: her winter coat and boots, and the bulk blocks of cheese she had recently purchased from Costco. She forgot to take her Christmas ornaments, which are her most prized possessions, and photos along with her.

Now Galea plans for wildfire season every year. She pays close attention to what is happening. She packs a bag and has plans for her two cats in case anything goes wrong. 

Packing a go-bag for emergencies is recommended by many experts. 

There have been numerous evacuations in Alberta in the last decade, including 88,000 people evacuating 2016, 38,000 people in 2023 and 23,000 people in 2024, according to statistics from the Alberta's Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services.

Julie MacEachern, an community emergency management plans advisor for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, was a first responder in Fort McMurray in 2016. She said the biggest mistake people made while evacuating was assuming they had time to pack. 

The Government of Alberta preparedness survey in 2025 assessed just over 1,600 Albertans to find out how prepared people feel for different hazards. In 2025, 44 per cent of respondents said they felt unprepared for emergencies.

There are lists on the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s Emergency Preparedness page, including information about checking insurance, auditing homes for safety and how to pack a go-bag for emergencies. 

A pack should meet the needs of a person, their family and pets and include critical documents, medications and animal supplies, said MacEachern. A kit should also include 2 to 4 litres of water per person per day in addition to food. People could pack games and toys to keep children occupied and charging banks for electronic devices, she said. 

“Just something to keep you going for at least three days,” MacEachern said. 

She also said it's important to keep family vehicles filled with gas or charged to at least halfway.