As wildfires continue to burn across Northern Nevada, thousands of our neighbors have faced evacuation orders and warnings. These fires are another reminder that wildfire season is not something happening somewhere else. It is happening in our communities.

Please remember to document your homes and belongings before disaster strikes. A simple cellphone video walking through your home can help create a record of what you own. But if you are told to evacuate, leave immediately. No photograph, document, or possession is worth risking your life.

For congregations and households, this is also an important moment to talk about disaster preparedness.

LEAN encourages Nevada congregations and families to:

• Know your evacuation zone and have more than one route out.
• Sign up for local emergency alerts.
• Keep important documents, medications, identification, and insurance information accessible.
• Take photos or video of your home and belongings before an emergency.
• Prepare a go-bag with water, food, chargers, clothing, medications, masks, and basic necessities.
• Make a plan for children, older adults, people with disabilities, and pets.
• Know how your congregation could communicate with members during an evacuation or prolonged power outage.
• Identify neighbors and members who may need additional help evacuating.
• Consider how your congregation could respond after a disaster through shelter, meals, supplies, pastoral care, or partnerships with community organizations.
• Review your homeowners or renters insurance and understand what wildfire coverage you have.

Preparedness is not about living in fear. It is about caring for our neighbors and recognizing that disasters often impact our most vulnerable neighbors the hardest.

As people of faith, we are called not only to respond when disaster strikes, but to build communities that are prepared, connected, and ready to care for one another.

We continue to pray for our neighbors across Northern Nevada, for those who have evacuated, those who have lost homes and property, and for the firefighters, first responders, emergency managers, volunteers, and neighbors working to keep our communities safe.

Be prepared. Check on your neighbors. And when officials tell you to evacuate, please go.