For immediate release: Sept. 30, 2026
Media contact:
Communications Office, pressoffice@multco.us
Multnomah County, Ore. (Sept. 30, 2026) — As National Preparedness Month comes to a close, Multnomah County and Portland Fire & Rescue remind community members that taking small steps year-round can help prepare for wildfires, smoke and other emergencies.
Although National Preparedness Month is recognized in September, wildfire season typically runs from June to October. Wildfires can bring severe smoke and hazardous air quality, with some of the region's worst air quality days occurring later in the season.
Because emergencies can happen at any time, taking steps both inside and outside your home can make a meaningful difference.
For news outlets that were unable to attend the home media tour earlier this month, the accompanying videos includes b-roll and soundbites from the home emergency preparedness demonstration focusing on three main areas:
- Take steps indoors to create a clean air room.
- Gradually build emergency supplies.
- Prepare your home outdoors.
Media assets and footage
- Full Video Feature (3:30): Watch full video on YouTube
- B-Roll & Soundbites: Raw Assets (Includes clean SOTs from Portland Fire & Rescue, Health, and Human Services + B-roll beginning at 2:56)
Interviews available upon request at pressoffice@multco.us.
Key takeaways and video highlights
Indoor Air Protection & Clean Air Rooms
- Identify a designated "clean air room" indoors where windows and doors can be sealed tightly during smoke events.
- Use an air cleaner sized for the room or build an accessible DIY unit using a box fan with a MERV 13 (or higher) filter taped to the back.
Emergency Supplies & Household Readiness
- Prioritize clean drinking water storage as the most essential resource.
- Maintain essential medications, a first aid kit, and shelf-stable foods that do not require refrigeration.
- Store supplies in a cool, dark area and rotate items periodically before expiration dates.
Wildfire Prevention: Outdoor Defensible Space & Home Hardening
- Clean debris and needle cast off roofs and gutters.
- Install 1/8-inch metal mesh screening over attic and crawlspace vents to prevent ember intrusion.
- Keep a minimum 5-foot perimeter around your home clear of vegetation, or substitute with a "moat of rock."
- Maintain a 10-foot clearance bubble between tree branches and rooflines or attached decks.
Soundbites:
- Kim Kosmas, Senior Public Education Officer, Community Wildfire Preparedness Program (Portland Fire & Rescue)
- Nadège Dubuisson, Program Supervisor, Healthy Homes & Communities Team (Multnomah County Health Department)
- Dr. Renée Curtis, Senior Emergency Management Analyst (Multnomah County Department of County Human Services)
More information for community members:
- Check your risk in Portland: See if you live in a wildfire hazard zone by checking Portland wildfire hazard zones at bit.ly/4waJRK3.
- Home Assessments: Consider signing up for a free Portland Fire & Rescue assessment of your home at portland.gov/fire/your-safety/reducing-risk-wildfire.
- Smoke & Health Information: Access information about how to protect yourself when air quality is poor due to smoke and wildfires at multco.us/smoke.
- Water Storage Guidelines: Learn more about water storage and purification practices at RegionalH2O.org.
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