Floppy discs and copper strips: Newark failures hint at looming threat of another FAA disaster



There have been multiple air traffic control communication and radar malfunctions in recent days, prompting renewed concern about risks in America's skies and on its runways.

The Federal Aviation Administration acknowledged in a series of statements that there was a telecommunications issue Friday at Philadelphia TRACON Area C, the air traffic control tower and radar facility at Philadelphia International Airport that guides aircraft into and out of Newark Liberty International Airport airspace.

Although the issue apparently lasted only 90 seconds, the FAA slowed aircraft in and out of Newark while ensuring that "redundancies were working as designed." The ground stop reportedly lasted around 45 minutes, and, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware, roughly 280 flights were delayed and 87 canceled at Newark as of late Sunday.

'We use floppy discs. We use copper wires.'

A week earlier, the FAA similarly had to slow arrivals and departures on account of "telecommunications and equipment issues at Philadelphia TRACON."

The New York Times reported that air traffic controllers working the airspace around the Newark airport lost communications with planes for nearly 30 seconds. While 10 people reportedly should have been on duty to help coordinate traffic in the Newark airspace at the time, only four controllers were at their posts.

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Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy minced no words following the late April 28 incident, stating, "The system that we're using in air traffic control is incredibly old. This system is 25, 30 years old. We use floppy discs. We use copper wires. The system that we're using is not effective to control the traffic that we have in the airspace today."

Stu Burguiere highlighted some of the technological artifacts the FAA still relies upon to regulate American airspace in his BlazeTV documentary "Countdown to the Next Aviation Disaster."

In addition to copper wires, Burguiere discussed "paper flight strips," which Reason Foundation founder Robert Poole indicated are still used to track planes.

"It comes off a little printer at the controller's workstation," explained Poole.

Blaze News previously reported that the FAA has attempted to update the paper system for over four decades, but the plans remain behind schedule and over budget.

Burguiere also took a look at a November 2023 FAA report that indicated the agency is not only using floppy discs but employing equipment so old that there are no replacement parts available.

"Beacons used to determine the location of aircraft with working transponders," the report reads. "Includes 331 units that are 28-46 years old. Many of these systems are pre-digital, and many parts are unavailable because the manufacturers no longer exist or no longer support these systems."

After characterizing the systems in place as antiquated and faulty, Duffy said, "Of course it's safe," citing the kinds of reactive measures taken in Newark and elsewhere. While confident in the safety of American travel, Duffy appears both intolerant of further delays and unwilling to leave anything to chance.

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Duffy stated that "we must get the best safety technology in the hands of controllers as soon as possible" and indicated that the Trump administration is "working to ensure the current telecommunications equipment is more reliable in the New York area by establishing a more resilient and redundant configuration with the local exchange carriers."

According to the FAA, Duffy and acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau are taking several actions to improve upon existing air traffic control systems, such as adding three high-bandwidth telecommunications connections between the New York-based Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System and the Philadelphia TRACON; replacing copper telecommunications connections with fiber-optic technology from this millennium; and deploying a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia TRACON to provide redundancy during the cable switchover.

'It has to be fixed.'

Burguiere noted in his BlazeTV documentary that the FAA was not just way behind on critical technological upgrades but dangerously understaffed at critical hubs nationwide — stressing that "with 77% of key facilities below the FAA's own staffing threshold" as of December, "our skies are becoming a ticking time bomb."

It appears that Duffy has also taken the dearth of talent at the FAA to heart. The transportation secretary and Rocheleau are apparently committed to increasing controller staffing.

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Katherine KY Cheng/Getty Images

The FAA indicated that the "area in the Philadelphia TRACON that handles Newark traffic has 22 fully certified controllers and 21 controllers and supervisors in training. Ten of those 21 controllers and supervisors are receiving on-the-job training. All 10 are certified on at least one position, and two are certified on multiple positions. We have a healthy pipeline with training classes filled through July 2026."

Blaze News asked the FAA to comment about the nationwide issue of old and aging systems and the perceived problem of understaffing at the FAA and was directed to Duffy's previous statements and May 12 press conference regarding the incident at the Newark airport.

Regarding staffing, the FAA said in a statement obtained by Blaze News, "The FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) collaborate to establish staffing goals for every facility, for every area in the facility, and for each shift. They update the goals yearly, and the goals are based on full staffing in the facility or area. There is a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers, and the FAA for years has not met the staffing goal for the area that works Newark airspace."

"The persistent low staffing levels and low training success rate at New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), or N90, were contributing factors to moving control of the Newark airspace to the Philadelphia TRACON in 2024," added the agency.

The airspace over Newark is far from the only domain experiencing troubles.

WAGA-TV reported that over 600 flights were delayed Monday at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on account of what officials termed a "runway equipment issue."

Duffy told NBC News Monday, "I'm concerned about the whole airspace."

"What you see in Newark is going to happen in other places across the country," continued the transportation secretary. "It has to be fixed."

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The abortion pill crisis Big Pharma doesn’t want you to see



A bombshell new study has found that women are suffering serious harm from chemical abortions at a rate 22 times higher than what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or abortion pill manufacturers are reporting to patients.

The federal government must step in now to protect women. It can no longer shirk its responsibility by “leaving it up to the states.”

If a drug is this dangerous, Big Pharma should not be allowed to hide its risks from women.

The study from the Ethics and Public Policy Center, which analyzed insurance claims of 330 million U.S. patients and over 850,000 cases of mifepristone abortions since 2017, is the largest and most comprehensive study ever conducted on the effects of America’s most common chemical abortion drug.

The numbers don’t lie

While the FDA and abortion drug manufacturers tout serious side effects in only 0.5% of cases, actual insurance claims from patients reveal the number is much higher: Nearly one in nine women experience severe or life-threatening events within 45 days of taking mifepristone, including sepsis, hemorrhaging, blood transfusion, infection, and surgeries tied directly to the abortion drug.

Nearly two-thirds of abortions in the United States are now chemical, according to the Planned Parenthood-founded Guttmacher Institute, suggesting that hundreds of thousands of women over the past 10 years have suffered serious complications. That is neither “rare” nor “safe” by any definition.

By contrast, according to the EPPC, the federal government’s claims of the drug’s “safety” rely on small, outdated trials — some conducted over 40 years ago — on a combined total of only 31,000 mostly healthy women in doctor-controlled environments.

In real-world environments, however, the abortion drug has proven significantly more dangerous.

The EPPC study found 10.93% of women suffered significant harm from taking the drug. What other FDA-approved drug would remain on the market with such a high rate of serious adverse events?

No state is safe

In light of this data, the federal government can no longer justify the lifting of oversight protocols for the abortion drug. Under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, critical safety measures — such as in-person supervision by a doctor and adverse event reporting — were eliminated. These federal safeguards must be restored, and the drug’s safety and FDA approval must be re-evaluated.

This is not a mere “states issue.” Abortion drugs are often shipped across state lines without a doctor’s involvement. Pro-abortion states like California should not be allowed to pump this dangerous drug into Texas or other states that have enacted reasonable protections for women and their babies.

The leaders we send to Washington, D.C., cannot hide behind federalism on this issue under the guise of “leaving it up to the states.” If just one aggressively pro-abortion state is allowed to ship abortion pills nationwide, women across all 50 states remain at risk — even if the other 49 state legislatures vote to protect them.

Women deserve the truth

Regardless of opinions on abortion, all Americans should agree on this: Women have a right to accurate information about the drugs they take. If a drug is this dangerous, Big Pharma should not be allowed to hide its risks from women. And the FDA cannot turn a blind eye, becoming complicit in a cover-up.

We must demand that the FDA take action. I’ve joined with dozens of pro-family leaders nationwide in writing a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to act. The letter reads, in part:

All the original safety protocols on mifepristone must be restored, and the FDA must investigate mifepristone, reconsidering its approval altogether. The lives of women and unborn children and the rights of states depend on it.

Furthermore, here in Iowa — home of the first-in-the-nation presidential caucus — we are committed to making safeguarding women from the dangers of mifepristone an issue for any candidate who seeks to follow President Trump in the White House. We urge voters to ask the same of any of their candidates: If you seek federal office, will you insist on seeing the safeguarding of women as a federal issue?

AM radio still saves lives — but will automakers listen?



Your new car has all the usual shiny new entertainment tech, but you're in the mood for an old favorite. You skip past the buttons for satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity to tune in to your ever-reliable source of news, sports, and even lifesaving alerts in a crisis.

That's when it hits you: There's no AM radio.

Think back to the 1960s, when seatbelts weren’t standard. Automakers fought mandates then, too, calling them costly and unnecessary — until lives saved proved them wrong.

As I've reported here before, carmakers like Tesla, Ford, and BMW have been quietly dropping in-vehicle AM radios for years, claiming it's no longer practical or financially viable to include it.

But don't turn that dial just yet.

Poor reception

The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act is heading toward a Senate vote after clearing the Commerce Committee back on February 5. With bipartisan support and an endorsement from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, this bill could ensure that AM radio stays in every new car.

But why is this even a fight?

It starts with cost. Adding an AM receiver might only run a few dollars per vehicle, but multiply that by millions of cars and it’s a hit to the bottom line.

Then there’s the tech angle — electric vehicles dominate the future (for now), and AM signals can get scrambled by the electromagnetic hum of EV batteries and motors, creating annoying static.

Plus, with dashboards turning into touchscreens and younger buyers streaming music or podcasts via Bluetooth, they argue that AM is outdated and unnecessary.

Automakers would rather upsell you on satellite radio subscriptions or internet-connected infotainment systems — options that pad their profits but leave you without an AM signal when you want or need it.

The trouble is that rural roads and disaster zones don’t care about your Wi-Fi plan, and that’s where AM comes in.

Last resort

I’ve been tracking this on Congress.gov. Senate Bill 315 moved out of committee for a floor vote this month. It’s described as a push “to require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule ensuring access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles.”

If passed, it would mandate that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require automakers to include AM radio in all vehicles sold in the U.S. — at no extra cost. Until that rule kicks in, any cars without it must be clearly labeled.

The National Association of Broadcasters cheered the progress, pointing to disasters like the Los Angeles wildfires and Hurricane Helene, where AM’s reach delivered evacuation orders and recovery info when cell networks crumbled. Over 125 groups, from the American Farm Bureau to the AARP, back it, citing safety and community access.

Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) of the Commerce Committee teamed up across the aisle, saying, “Today’s vote broadcasts a clear message to car manufacturers that AM radio is an essential tool for millions. From emergency response to entertainment and news, it’s a lifeline we must protect.”

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr added, “I saw it firsthand after Hurricane Helene — people relied on AM for lifesaving updates when everything else was down. Unlike streaming apps that need a signal or a subscription, AM is free, far-reaching, and works when nothing else does.”

Audio seatbelt

This bill is bigger than just radios — it’s about innovation, safety, and government’s role in the auto industry. Think back to the 1960s when seatbelts weren’t standard. Automakers fought mandates then, too, calling them costly and unnecessary — until lives saved proved them wrong. Today, AM radio is the seatbelt of communication: low-tech, sure, but a proven lifesaver.

If it passes the Senate, it could set a precedent for regulators to prioritize public good over corporate trends, maybe even nudging carmakers to rethink other cuts — like physical buttons that were swapped for slow screens.

It’s a signal that tech’s march forward doesn’t have to leave reliability behind, especially as disasters make resilient tools more crucial than ever.

Static from lobbyists

Unfortunately, this bill has some hurdles to get over. Automakers aren’t accepting this quietly; they’ve got deep pockets and powerful lobbyists, and groups like the Alliance for Automotive Innovation could lean on senators to water it down or kill it. They might argue it’s unfair to force a feature not every buyer wants or that EVs need exemptions for technical reasons.

Then there’s the Senate itself — gridlock is normal, and with budget battles and post-election-year posturing, a floor vote could easily be delayed. Even supporters admit it’s faced delays before; earlier versions never passed in Congress despite broad support. The difference now? High-profile disasters and bipartisan unity might just tip the scales.

AM remains the backbone of the Emergency Alert System, a resilient lifeline delivering local news, diverse voices, and critical info when it counts. Now that this bill’s racing through, it’s a sign that it could soon be law — unless the opposition shifts gears.

Chicago community organizers cancel Mexican holiday parade, blame Trump as the reason



An annual parade in Chicago marking a Mexican holiday has been canceled this year, and organizers are pointing to President Donald Trump as the reason why.

The 2025 parade commemorating Cinco de Mayo — or May 5, the day in 1862 when Mexico defeated France in the Battle of Puebla — in Little Village on the Southwest Side of Chicago has been canceled after nearly half the sponsors dropped out because of "safety" concerns, WLS reported.

'We don't want to have ... people taken away from the festival, from the parade to custody.'

The Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce and Casa Puebla claimed enforcement of federal immigration law under the Trump administration has spooked sponsors and attendees alike.

"Our community is very frightened because of the raids and the threat that ICE has imposed on the families that work tirelessly to provide a better future for their kids," the groups said in a statement released Thursday.

"Our people are scared," added Hector Escobar, president of both groups. "See, some of them, they don't even want to go to work and some of them, they've taken a high risk."

The event typically involves music and other festivities celebrating Mexican culture, but this year, people do not want to participate in "community activities" on account of all the "bullying and persecution," the groups said.

"It's not much to celebrate," Escobar said.

"We don't want to have any confrontation or having people taken away from the festival, from the parade to custody."

While news reports are currently focused on the cancellation of the 2025 parade, the parade has had several disruptions in the last several years. In addition to cancellations due to COVID, organizers nixed the parade in 2018 and 2019 because of a "lack of support" from some local officials and groups, WMAQ-TV reported.

Then last year, the parade had to be rerouted to avoid an incident of alleged gang violence.

Escobar hopes to have the parade back on track next year, but he claims it will all depend on whether the Trump administration changes course on immigration enforcement.

"At this point, we don't know what is going to happen next year," he said.

His groups expressed hope that "things get situated and we can continue with the ... Celebration for many more years to come."

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What I learned at Bridgestone Winter Driving School



Think your tires are enough to tackle harsh winter road conditions?

Think again.

Every year, thousands of drivers lose control on icy roads due to a simple mistake: relying on tires that are NOT made for these conditions.

I recently attended the Bridgestone Winter Driving School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to try out different winter tires in the ice and snow — and to experience the REAL difference between control and disaster.

First, let's take a look at the different types of tires:

Winter

A tire with a 3PMSF (Three Peak Mountain Snowflake) symbol is a true winter tire; it's been tested for best performance in the worst winter conditions.

On the other hand, an M+S (Mud and Snow) symbol indicates some level of traction but is often found on all-season tires as well.

Another indicator you may want to look at is the speed rating. Lower speed ratings such as Q, R, and S are usually better for snow.

Summer

Summer tires are designed for heat resistance, maximum traction, and performance driving.

All-season

All-season tires provide mild winter driving ability, long wear, and ride. They don't offer particularly excellent performance for any one climate but are good for most.

Founded in 1983, the Bridgestone Winter Driving School offers drivers ranging from teens and seniors to pro racers, truckers, and fleet drivers a hands-on education in proper car control when roads are covered in snow and ice.

We tested the newest Bridgestone winter tires, the new Blizzak 6 — they impressed me enough with their short stopping distance and excellent traction that I bought a set for my SUV. They've been handling the Buffalo winters with aplomb.

I came away thinking the school (or some equivalent) should be a requirement for all drivers — even those in warmer climes. Everything at the school is based on grip and traction — which can be lost with excessive braking, acceleration, and steering even on dry pavement.

And for those drivers who do regularly deal with snow, mastering the art of winter driving could mean the difference between life and death.

For more information on the Bridgestone Winter Driving School, see here.

And get a closer look at what I learned at the school below:

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Meet the man who fought off the Los Angeles wildfires with a garden hose



John Carr faced the hellish wildfire with nothing but a garden hose.

Fallen power lines and abandoned cars littered the roads as flames swept through Los Angeles, scorching over 40,000 acres, destroying 12,000 buildings, and leaving at least 24 people dead.

Despite his wife's pleas for him to leave, Carr texted her at 12:48 p.m., confirming that he intended to stay and fight.

Pacific Palisades, where Carr lives, became a scene of chaos as evacuation orders sent 150,000 residents scrambling to escape. The neighborhood suffered the brunt of the devastation.

His parents had built the house in 1960, and the thought of losing it was unbearable. As the inferno ripped through the hills and surged toward his house, he thought about all the memories of his parents, all the positive times that they shared. He and his wife have lived in the house for decades.

“A lot of what pushed me to save the house was saving it for her,” he told me over the phone. He wanted her to come home to the place she loves.

He wasn’t about to abandon it without a fight. “That's the thing that stuck in my head the most.”

Decisive action

Other articles about Carr’s unbelievable experience have stopped there — which is understandable, given the Hollywood-esque imagery of a lone man fighting off the cruelties of nature with equipment better suited for watering flower beds.

But they have overlooked the fact that Carr knew exactly what he was doing, taking decisive action with the kind of calm mindfulness found in Navy SEALs. He wasn’t some bravado-fueled daredevil; his plan was highly strategic. This makes his courage all the more impressive.

Carr had spent years troubleshooting various scenarios, asking himself, “If a fire came from this direction, what would we do? If the fire came from that direction, what would we do?”

His planning was grounded in the geography of the area and the behavior of the Santa Ana winds.

“So I was analyzing all those factors,” he told me, “and thought about it and figured it was — defending the house was something that I could do.”

An ominous view

When the Palisades fire broke out, Carr’s wife, Chiaki, a flight attendant, was en route to Japan's Haneda Airport. She had left their Palisades home early that morning. Just before boarding her flight, she received a text from Carr: He’d heard about a brushfire nearby and was going to check it out.

Minutes later, a mandatory evacuation order was issued for their neighborhood. As her plane took off, she looked out the window and saw smoke rising near their home. “It was so windy,” she later recounted, “and the turbulence was terrible.”

All she could think about was John and the house.

Despite her pleas for him to leave, Carr texted her at 12:48 p.m., confirming that he intended to stay and fight.

A wife’s journey home

As the hours passed, communication between Carr and his wife became sporadic. By 3:00 p.m., she had received an update from a neighbor: The fire was spreading across Marquez and Bollinger Circle, but their house was still standing. She was desperate for news. The uncertainty was excruciating.

Chiaki began coordinating with Delta Airlines to expedite her return to Los Angeles. By evening, friends had managed to reach John on a landline. They told her he was safe, but she was still terrified. And she still had to serve passengers coffee and drinks.

At Haneda Airport, she boarded a return flight, but when she landed at LAX on January 8, she couldn’t reach John.

“I started to imagine [the worst] about what happened to him fighting fire all night,” she said. “I thought the whole town had burned, including our house.”

She tried to reach him again and again. A friend reported John as a lost person.

Driving back to Pacific Palisades, she found all roads blocked by police barricades. Finally, at 2:29 p.m., a police officer called with news: John was alive and still at their home.

27 hours

Carr had fought the fire, alone, for 27 hours. Sleep-deprived, he put out spot fires, leaped fences, and even injured a rib in the process.

The fire devastated John Carr’s neighborhood. To the south, an entire row of houses was reduced to ash. Across Sunset Boulevard to the north, nearly 80% of the homes were destroyed. But Carr wasn’t just fighting to save his own house — he was determined to protect whatever he could.

When flames ignited a neighbor’s palm tree to the east, Carr climbed the wall and doused it with hose water, putting out multiple spot fires before they could spread. “There was a huge bonfire of acrylic tiles around the pool.”

The house’s hose didn’t work, so Carr kicked through a fence, dragged over his own hose, and put out the flames. “Fires like this can smolder underground through roots and soil,” he explained. “You have to soak them again and again to make sure they’re out.”

Not every attempt succeeded. To the southwest, Carr broke into another property to extinguish a growing fire, but the hose on the site was useless and his own hose couldn’t reach. “There was just a silly little hose,” he told me. “I could’ve saved it if I’d had the right hose.”

Still, Carr’s strategy was clear: stop small fires before they become house fires. “If you nip these things in the bud, you can save the houses,” he said. His quick actions saved multiple homes. “It’s straightforward, but it’s critical. You just do what you can.”

The guy upstairs

While Carr’s actions were heroic, he’s quick to emphasize that they weren’t impulsive.

He believes preparation is key, not just for wildfires but for any emergency. “You don’t have to be a prepper,” he said. “Just think about if you were in a situation where you could not go to the market for two weeks or so. What could you eat? What could you eat? What could you drink?”

But these vital questions get lost in the whir of our lives.

“People are just so busy trying to make a living; they don't always have time to think about preparations.”

While his planning gave him the tools to act, his faith and determination carried him through. Reflecting on the ordeal, he summed it up matter-of-factly: “The guy upstairs was helping out. I couldn’t have done it alone.”

The value of preparation

John’s story is a testament to self-reliance and courage. But the biggest takeaway isn’t his bravery — it’s the value of preparation. Wildfires are vicious, unpredictable, and fast, and defending your home starts long before the flames arrive. Here are some practical self-defense strategies you can use to protect your home — not from crime, but from any disaster that comes your way.

Sources include a FEMA booklet titled "Protect Your Property from Wildfires" and the National Fire Protection Association's “Home Ignition Zone Checklist.” There’s a wealth of information online with more detailed guidelines.

Start with the basics

Preparation starts with the basics. Review your homeowner's insurance policy regularly to ensure that it includes coverage for wildfire damage. It’s a simple step that can save you enormous trouble later. As part of your planning, take photos or videos of your home’s interior, focusing on high-value items. Having a detailed record can make the insurance claims process faster and easier if disaster strikes.

Every home should also have an emergency “go bag.” This bag should include essentials like a first aid kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, cash or cards, spare car keys, copies of important documents, and charger cords. Don’t forget to pack medications, as well as enough food and water to last three days for every person in your household. These small steps can make a big difference when time is of the essence.

Fortify your home

The National Fire Protection Association emphasizes that most homes ignite during wildfires because of their surroundings and structural vulnerabilities. Addressing these weak spots can significantly reduce your risk. Start at the top: If you haven’t already, replace your roof with Class A-rated, noncombustible materials like metal, asphalt shingles, or clay tiles. The roof is one of the most vulnerable parts of a house during a wildfire, and upgrading it is one of the best investments you can make.

Pay attention to your eaves and vents as well. Short eaves prevent embers from lodging, while vents covered with 1/8-inch wire mesh can block firebrands from entering your attic. Beyond that, creating defensible space around your home is crucial. The area within 30 feet of your house, known as Zone 1, should be kept free of flammable materials.

Prune trees, clear dead vegetation, and use noncombustible landscaping materials like gravel or concrete. Zone 2, which extends from 30 to 100 feet, requires thinning vegetation and removing “ladder fuels” that allow fire to climb into tree canopies.

Simple maintenance tasks, like cleaning your gutters and enclosing your foundation, can also go a long way. Gutters often collect dry leaves and debris, which can ignite easily during a wildfire. Sealing openings around utility connections with fire-resistant caulk or mortar can stop embers from sneaking inside.

Windows and walls need attention too. Install multipaned, tempered glass windows to shield against radiant heat, and use fire-resistant siding materials like stucco or fiber cement. Adding external sprinklers or water tanks to your property is another proactive step. And don’t forget: Every inch of your property matters. Make sure hoses can reach all areas, and consider installing rain barrels or even a pool to ensure a ready water supply.

Even your landscaping choices can make a difference. Fire-resistant plants, if watered regularly, can act as a barrier to slow flames. But neglected plants can dry out and become fuel for the fire. Choosing the right plants — and keeping them hydrated — can protect your home in surprising ways.

Be ready to evacuate

When wildfires strike, the best defense is often a quick and orderly evacuation. Experts recommend leaving early, even before evacuation orders are issued. Fires are unpredictable, and waiting too long can trap you in heavy traffic — or worse, in the path of the fire itself.

To stay ahead of disaster, use tools like FEMA’s mobile app, which provides real-time alerts. NOAA Weather Radio is another valuable resource, offering continuous updates on fire conditions and evacuation notices. Identify multiple evacuation routes from your home and set a designated meeting point where family members can regroup if separated.

If time allows, soak your property to create a buffer. Hook up hoses, fill tubs and trash cans, and douse your surroundings with water. The USDA also recommends shutting off gas and power if it can be done safely. Closing all doors, windows, and vents can help keep embers out, protecting your home’s interior.

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