Sacramento, United States

Sacramento Emergency Kit — Personalized for Your Risks

Sacramento sits at the confluence of two rivers behind an aging levee system — frequently ranked among the most flood-prone major U.S. cities, just behind New Orleans — and faces a punishing summer mix of record heat and wildfire smoke that can choke the Central Valley for weeks.

Primary Risks for Sacramento

  • Flooding
  • Wildfire Smoke
  • Extreme Heat

Key takeaways for Sacramento

  • Primary risks: Flooding, Wildfire Smoke, Extreme Heat
  • Plan for: Plan for water, smoke, and heat — know your flood/evacuation zone, keep N95s and a HEPA air cleaner for wildfire smoke, and have a cooling plan plus a NOAA weather radio for 116°F summers.
  • Read more: Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services (SacOES)

What you'll get

  • Sacramento-specific risk analysis: AI-powered analysis of disaster risks specific to Sacramento and your exact address.
  • Personalized kit list: Emergency supplies tailored to your household size, pets, and home type.
  • Direct purchase links: One-click links to buy every item in your personalized kit.
  • Emergency action guide: Step-by-step instructions for each disaster type common in Sacramento.

Sacramento Risk Briefing

Local Hazard History

Sacramento's defining risk is water. The city sits at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers, protected by an aging levee system, and is frequently cited as one of the most flood-prone major U.S. cities — often ranked just behind New Orleans. That risk is not theoretical: the February 1986 and January 1997 New Year's floods overwhelmed Central Valley levees and forced mass evacuations across the region. More recently, the New Year's Eve atmospheric river of December 31, 2022 breached levees along the Cosumnes River in southern Sacramento County, killing three people, swamping homes and washing out State Route 99. Summer brings the opposite extreme: on September 6, 2022, downtown Sacramento hit an all-time record 116°F, breaking the 114°F mark that had stood since 1925. And while the city itself rarely burns, wildfire smoke does reach it — during the 2018 Camp Fire roughly 90 miles north, Sacramento recorded some of the worst air quality in the world for nearly two weeks.

When Risk Peaks

  • Oct–Apr: Atmospheric-river storms drive the flood season — levee strain, urban flooding, and road washouts; the most dangerous storms often land around the New Year
  • Jun–Sep: Extreme Central Valley heat; the all-time record 116°F was set in September 2022, and multi-day heat waves are the deadliest routine hazard
  • Jul–Nov: Regional wildfire season — even when the city doesn't burn, smoke from Sierra and foothill fires can push air quality to hazardous for days
  • Year-round: Outages can accompany both winter storms and summer heat — plan for power loss in either season

What to Pack for Sacramento

A Sacramento kit has to span flood, smoke, and extreme heat:

  • Know your flood and evacuation zone before the wet season — check your address on the county's evacuation-zone map and keep a grab-and-go bag ready if you live behind a levee
  • For wildfire smoke: N95/KN95 respirators for every household member and a portable HEPA air cleaner (or a DIY box-fan filter) to keep one room breathable
  • For extreme heat: a plan to stay cool if the AC or power fails — know your nearest cooling center, and don't rely on a fan alone once it's above ~95°F
  • 3+ days of water and food, plus medications, for storm-driven outages and road closures
  • A battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio for flood, excessive-heat, and fire-weather warnings
  • Keep phones and power banks charged ahead of forecast storms and heat waves, when outages are most likely

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