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CITY GUIDES/CALIFORNIA/LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

Prepare for emergencies
in Los Angeles.

Prepare for earthquakes, wildfire evacuations, extreme heat and heavy rain. Use local resources, monthly weather charts and tools to make a household plan.

Los Angeles County · California

Build my household plan →Find evacuation resources →
Downtown Los Angeles skyline seen from the hills
LOS ANGELES COUNTYLos Angeles,
California
Los Angeles skyline · February 2018
Photo: FirstNameLastName7 · credit and license

This guide covers the City of Los Angeles. LAX is a coastal weather station; inland valleys and hills can be much hotter. Countywide resources also serve other cities. Historical data and planning tools; check official sources for current conditions.

View sources ↗

CHOOSE A STARTING POINT

What do you need to prepare?

Plan for evacuationFind zone lookup, transport, and assistance resources.Review your options →Prepare your householdCalculate water, make a checklist, and save your plan.Build your plan →Understand the seasonsCompare coastal rainfall, warmer months and year-round earthquake preparation.Explore local weather →
All sections ↑My household plan →

01 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Los Angeles weather by month

Compare coastal temperatures and rainfall through the year. Use a neighborhood forecast for decisions about inland heat or hillside conditions.

Los Angeles International Airport · NOAA 1991–2020

Monthly averages, not a forecast. Rainfall includes the water equivalent of precipitation. Days reaching 90°F are not heat-index days.

Read all monthly values
MonthHigh °FLow °FRain inchesDays ≥90°F
January66.349.42.860
February65.650.12.990
March66.152.21.730
April68.154.20.60.3
May69.557.60.280.3
June7260.90.080.1
July75.1640.040.1
August76.764.800.5
September76.563.70.110.9
October74.459.80.491.8
November70.953.70.820.7
December66.149.12.230

Coast and valleys differ

The chart uses LAX. Do not use its typical highs to judge conditions in the San Fernando Valley.

Rain concentrates in cooler months

Check the monthly rainfall bars, then plan drainage checks before storms. A monthly average does not show a single storm’s intensity.

Earthquakes have no season

Keep earthquake preparations in place year-round; a weather chart cannot indicate when shaking will occur.

Review local hazards ↗

Download the station data ↗

02 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Prepare your rooms for earthquake shaking

Choose places to take cover and reduce hazards around beds, desks and exits before an earthquake happens.

Secure what can fall

Check tall furniture, televisions and heavy objects. Follow manufacturer instructions and get appropriate help with anchoring.

Practice your response

Use the USGS guidance to practice dropping, taking cover and holding on. Plan how each household member will protect themselves.

Plan for disruption afterward

Keep shoes, a light and emergency contacts accessible. Expect that transport, water or power may be interrupted; avoid damaged structures.

Read earthquake safety guidance ↗ · Use ReadyLA planning resources ↗

03 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Prepare for wildfire and wind-driven fire

Hillside homes need an evacuation plan, and smoke or outages can affect people much farther from the flames.

Griffith Observatory and the surrounding hills at sunset
Griffith Observatory and surrounding hills · May 2017. Local landscape, not a wildfire photograph.Photo: TobyJohn2506 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Review LAFD’s brush-clearance and home-preparation guidance for your property. Keep your bag, medication list and pet supplies accessible. If you rent, ask management who handles vegetation, building notices and evacuation access.

Watch local warnings

Santa Ana winds are most common from September through May. Fire danger is not limited to a summer season.

Keep a smoke plan

Check AirNow for air-quality information. Follow public-health advice and plan where to go if indoor air becomes unsuitable.

Act on evacuation instructions

A smoke map and a red-flag weather warning are not evacuation orders. Use official city alerts and the zone information linked below.

Read LAFD wildfire guidance ↗ · Understand Santa Ana winds ↗ · Check smoke and air quality ↗

04 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Look up your evacuation zone

LAFD links to Genasys Protect for official, zone-based evacuation information. Save the zone for home and other places you use regularly.

Find your address

Open the zone lookup through the LAFD page and note the zone identifier. Register for NotifyLA as well.

Choose a destination

Arrange somewhere outside the threatened area and a backup. Include pets, mobility needs and a way to communicate.

Leave when directed

Follow the routes and timing given for the incident. If you need extra time, plan an earlier departure; do not wait to pack.

Find the official evacuation-zone lookup ↗ · Review evacuation preparation ↗

Keep at least two possible routes in your plan. Which route is usable depends on the incident; this guide does not identify a safe route in real time.

05 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Make a cooling plan for your neighborhood

A coastal breeze at LAX does not mean conditions are comfortable inland. Use the city’s current cooling resources when heat builds.

Choose an air-conditioned destination and a backup before cooling fails at home. Libraries offer cooling during their regular opening hours, and the city announces additional centers during extended heat. Confirm the site’s hours and access before leaving.

For apartment households, ask how a power failure affects elevators and common areas. Agree on a check-in plan with someone nearby and arrange transport if walking or stairs would be difficult.

Find Los Angeles cooling resources ↗

06 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Prepare for heavy rain and hillside runoff

Winter rain can create a different problem from wildfire. Check local instructions before storms, especially around slopes and previously burned terrain.

Review drainage around doors and outdoor stairs while conditions are dry. Ask your property manager about known entry points and required repairs. Save the city’s rain resources and watch for local closures and evacuation notices.

Do not enter floodwater or debris flows. Leave areas that officials order evacuated; supplies or sandbags do not make a building safe to stay in.

Open city rain-readiness resources ↗

07 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

Build your Los Angeles household plan

Choose your household size, supply duration and housing type. Save a checklist and download local contacts with your plan.

Water bottles, first-aid kit, flashlight, radio and other supplies laid out on a table
Lay out your supplies before using the checklist below. Illustrative supplies, not a complete emergency kit.Photo: Roger Brown · Pexels license
  1. 1Enter household details
  2. 2Review water and tasks
  3. 3Download your plan

STARTING WATER RESERVE

14gallons

2 people × 7 days × 1 gallon per day

For people only; add pet and individual needs.

Your household checklist

0 of 6 complete

Tracks these tasks only, not a safety score. Choices stay in this browser.

Saved only on this device

The seven-day setting is a planning scenario. Start with at least one gallon of water per person per day; increase it for heat, pets and individual needs. Read water-storage guidance ↗

Keep a portable bag separate from your home reserve. Add medication instructions, accessibility needs and meeting places to the downloaded worksheet. The checklist tracks tasks you mark; it does not measure whether your home is safe.

08 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

A monthly Los Angeles preparation checklist

Choose a month for three practical tasks. These are suggested reminders, not a forecast or a restriction on when hazards can happen.

    Read the full year’s checklist

    January — Review winter rain and fire alerts

    • Confirm NotifyLA contact details.
    • Check rain-preparation resources before storms.
    • Keep evacuation supplies accessible during wind events.

    February — Check drainage and documents

    • Ask about drainage issues around your building.
    • Photograph important household records.
    • Review evacuation destinations.

    March — Practice earthquake protection

    • Choose cover locations in rooms you use most.
    • Check tall furniture restraints.
    • Update the household meeting plan.

    April — Prepare for warmer inland weather

    • Arrange cooling-equipment maintenance.
    • Choose an air-conditioned backup destination.
    • Review medication and mobility needs with the appropriate providers.

    May — Review wildfire preparation

    • Read LAFD property-preparation guidance.
    • Look up your evacuation zone again.
    • Check pet carriers and transport arrangements.

    June — Check cooling access

    • Confirm current cooling resources.
    • Plan a ride if your home loses cooling.
    • Check portable light and phone charging.

    July — Manage heat and smoke plans

    • Use neighborhood forecasts rather than coastal averages.
    • Save AirNow smoke information.
    • Agree on a neighbor check-in routine.

    August — Refresh the evacuation bag

    • Check supply dates.
    • Update paper contacts and documents.
    • Confirm a destination outside your immediate area.

    September — Prepare for offshore wind events

    • Keep alerts on as Santa Ana season approaches.
    • Review alternate evacuation routes.
    • Charge portable lights and batteries.

    October — Practice the earthquake plan

    • Rehearse taking cover with household members.
    • Check furniture and cabinet hazards.
    • Download an updated plan.

    November — Prepare for winter storms

    • Check outdoor drains while weather is dry.
    • Review city rain resources.
    • Confirm utility outage reporting details.

    December — Keep both rain and fire plans ready

    • Check forecasts before holiday travel.
    • Keep portable supplies by your planned exit.
    • Confirm who will check on pets or relatives.

    09 / USE THE TOOLS

    Estimate battery runtime for your devices

    Use the power label on each device. This calculator estimates energy use; it does not check electrical compatibility.

    A switched-on flashlight resting on a surface
    Include battery-powered lighting in your outage plan. Use the calculator below for devices you would power from a battery station.Photo: Steve A Johnson · Pexels license
    1. 1Select devices
    2. 2Adjust watts and daily hours
    3. 3Enter battery capacity
    Editable example device loads
    UseDeviceWattsHours/day

    Watts × hours gives daily watt-hours. Battery capacity × usable percentage gives estimated usable energy. Actual runtime also depends on starting surges, inverter limits, battery condition and temperature.

    A small battery may charge phones or lights, but it is not a household heating or cooling plan. Arrange a suitable place to go if your home becomes unsafe. For medical equipment, confirm backup requirements with the equipment provider.

    10 / USE THE TOOLS

    Estimate Los Angeles solar output by month

    Compare the seasons before relying on a portable panel for backup charging.

    NASA POWER · 2001–2025

    The estimate uses monthly average sunlight on a horizontal surface: panel watts × daily irradiation × the percentage retained after losses. It is an approximate daily energy budget, not guaranteed output during a storm.

    Shade, nearby buildings, panel angle, temperature and charging limits change the result. Check that the panel and battery are compatible. View the underlying NASA grid data ↗

    11 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Set up Los Angeles emergency alerts

    Use local alerts and a second information source. Test reception and batteries before you need them.

    Sign up for local alerts ↗

    Los Angeles County · SAME county code006037

    Keep the leading zero.

    NOAA WEATHER RADIO162.550 MHz

    Local NOAA broadcast · Verify reception where you will use the radio. Radio setup source ↗

    SAME filters county alerts on compatible receivers. A basic weather-band radio may only play broadcasts when switched on. Check the model before relying on automatic warnings; the county code does not identify your evacuation zone.

    12 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Save these Los Angeles contacts

    Put these links and numbers in your phone and keep a paper copy. Check your utility bill to confirm the correct provider.

    Emergency

    Call 911 for immediate danger.

    13 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

    Local events worth planning for

    These examples show how different emergencies affect everyday life. They are not a forecast or an estimate of your address’s risk.

    1994

    Northridge earthquake

    The January 17 earthquake had magnitude 6.7. Planning lesson: keep room safety and a household communication plan ready throughout the year. View the USGS record ↗

    2025

    Palisades Fire

    The Palisades Fire began on January 7 in Pacific Palisades. Planning lesson: know your zone and arrange transport before an emergency starts. Read the official incident record ↗

    14 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Shop this guide

    Supplies selected for Los Angeles’s local risks and the plans on this page. Start with what you already own.

    These are individual products, not a complete emergency kit. Compare capacity, fit and household needs before buying. Cards show the current store catalog; confirm options and availability on the product page.

    Browse all emergency supplies →

    Compare these restraints when securing compatible furniture. Verify installation and suitability for your wall; no earthquake-performance rating is documented.

    Keep a hands-free light accessible for a dark room or a packed evacuation bag. Charge it regularly.

    Organize portable evacuation supplies in a bag you can carry. This backpack is empty; food, water and other contents are separate.

    Keep copies of evacuation contacts and essential documents together. This bag has no verified fire- or flood-protection rating.

    Keep basic first-aid supplies accessible after a disruption. Review kit contents, allergies and expiry dates before relying on it.

    Store drinking water for service interruptions after shaking or another emergency. Use the calculator to size the household reserve.

    SOURCES AND COVERAGE

    Where the Los Angeles information comes from

    Independent Local Prepper guide. Sources reviewed November 2026. City, county, airport, and regional data are labeled separately. No address-level safety assessment or live alert feed is provided.

    Browse all sources and their coverage

    Photo: LosAngelesSkyline.png by FirstNameLastName7, 2018-02-10. CC BY-SA 4.0. Display cropped.

    Browse all city guides →