CA California Porch

Emergency

Alerts, smoke, roads, and power check

A calm first-stop starting point for local emergency alerts, evacuation words, wildfire smoke, road closures, and power shutoffs.

Official link Last reviewed June 30, 2026

Why it matters

Bad days move fast. The right source depends on whether you need an evacuation notice, a fire map, smoke information, a road closure, or a power shutoff update.

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Emergency and utilities

Alerts, smoke, roads, power shutoffs, outages, and bill help.

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First moves

  1. 1

    Sign up for your county or city emergency alerts before there is smoke on the ridge.

  2. 2

    For evacuation messages, use your local sheriff, police, fire, emergency office, or county alert system.

  3. 3

    For active fires, check CAL FIRE and the local incident agency.

  4. 4

    For smoke, check AirNow or your local air district before outdoor work, school, or travel.

  5. 5

    For highways, check Caltrans QuickMap before you drive.

  6. 6

    For possible power shutoffs, check your utility and the CPUC PSPS information page.

Watch for

  1. 1

    Evacuation warning and evacuation order are different. Follow the local emergency office's wording.

  2. 2

    A statewide fire map may lag behind a local evacuation order.

  3. 3

    Cell service, power, and internet can fail. Have more than one alert path.

  4. 4

    Smoke can be bad far away from the flames.

  5. 5

    Road closures can change faster than map apps update.

  6. 6

    Power shutoff timing can change with wind, humidity, equipment, and utility decisions.

Go deeper

Outdoor weather and hazard checks

A last-check guide for weather, smoke, fire, heat, surf, rivers, snow, roads, earthquakes, and the live sources to trust before you leave.

Snow, chains, and winter roads

How to check chain controls, SNO-PARK permits, mountain road closures, winter weather, avalanche warnings, and safe snow-play spots before you drive.

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Keep moving through the directory.

Use the nearby shelf when this is the right lane, or jump back to the full directory if the task changed names.

ShelfEmergency and utilitiesAlerts, smoke, roads, power shutoffs, outages, and bill help.DirectoryPaperwork & MoneyReturn to the full tools shelf.Nearby toolUtility bills, shutoffs, and outagesFind the safer first stop for a late utility bill, shutoff notice, CARE or FERA discount, Medical Baseline, LIHEAP help, PSPS, outage map, gas smell, water bill, or utility complaint.A-ZFind another California pathUse the directory index when the task has a different name.