Boulder County can send three types of emergency evacuation messages

Advisory: An informational message about an emergency situation that is likely to impact one of the addresses listed on your profile.

Evacuation Warning: Prepare to take action for you and your family due to an emergency situation affecting one of the addresses listed on your profile. Individuals needing extra time to mobilize should take immediate action when a Warning notification is issued.

Evacuation Order: Take required action immediately.

to Receive Emergency Notifications, sign up now at BoCoAlert.org

Pre-evacuation warnings and evacuation orders can be sent to people at their landline phone, to cell phones as calls or texts, and to email addresses.

If you have a landline, that phone number is automatically registered with the county’s alert system. The phone companies provide updated lists on a quarterly basis.

To receive emergency alerts on a cell phone or via email, go to BoCoAlert.org to register those points of contact. You will need to create an account if you’ve not already done this. If you’ve registered in the past, you might want to log in and verify that all contact information is current (see below).

Even if you have a landline, it’s recommended that you register your cell and email as well so that there are more ways to reach you (e.g., in a fire, sometimes phone poles burn down, so a landline call may not go through while a text would likely reach you).

It is also highly recommended that each individual at an address create a separate account with their own contact information so that everyone directly receives emergency information in case you are not all together at the time.

Please note that we at Boulder Mountain Fire do not maintain the county’s 911 Alert list and are not able to assist with any questions or problems related to registering.

Verify That You’re Already Registered for Emergency Notifications

If you signed up for alerts previously, you can check if you’re signed up for the county’s emergency alert system by doing the following:

  1. Go to www.BoCoAlert.org
  2. Click “Sign In” at the top right of the home page, then scroll down to the bottom of the sign-in page. Click “Forgot Username.” You’ll be prompted to enter the email address used to register for emergency notifications.
  3. Enter your email address and click OK. (3a) If you enter an email address that is not associated with a registration, you immediately get a message that says “The email is invalid,” which would mean you’re not registered (at least not with that email address; if you have multiple email addresses, be sure to check each one). (3b) If you enter an email address that is associated with a registration, you’ll immediately get a message that says “Email has been sent. Please check your inbox.” That indicates you are already signed up to receive emergency notifications from the county. And you’ll get an email with your username.

Make Sure Your Cell Phone Won’t Block Emergency Notifications

Are you at risk of missing an emergency notification because, like many people, you don’t answer calls from phone numbers you don’t recognize? Or maybe you block incoming texts and calls at night and at other times? Now you can address that issue.

Boulder County Communications has provided us with the emergency notification system’s caller ID so that you can add it to your phone to help avoid the potential of their calls being blocked.

The caller ID for all emergency notifications is 303-441-1400.

Here are links to information about how to make sure that certain contacts can bypass your cell phone’s do not disturb and silent settings. The basic process is to create a contact for the emergency notification number in your contacts/address book, and then adjust various settings to always allow that contact to get through:

Apple iOS 16 (see the bottom of the page, “Allow calls from emergency contacts when notifications are silenced”): https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/allow-or-silence-notifications-for-a-focus-iph21d43af5b/16.0/ios/16.0

Android (see “set who can interrupt you”): https://support.google.com/android/answer/9069335?hl=en&ref_topic=7651002#zippy=%2Cset-who-can-interrupt-you

Configure Your Phone to Receive Wireless Emergency Alerts

Ensure that your cell phone settings are configured to received wireless emergency alerts (WEAs). WEA is a public safety system that allows customers who own compatible mobile devices to receive geographically targeted, text-like messages alerting them of imminent threats to safety in their area. WEA does not require registration. Additional information is available here: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/wireless-emergency-alerts-wea

If you recieve an Evacuation Warning or Advisory

An evacuation warning notification means that you should prepare to take action, which in the case of a wildland fire means prepare to evacuate. There are things you can do if you have a little time prior to an evacuation, such as when you receive an evacuation warning notification. That said, an evacuation warning should be treated as an imminent emergency. In particular, if you need extra time getting out, you should take immediate action when a warning notification is issued.

How much time you’ll have varies because emergency incidents are fluid, unpredictable, and evolve rapidly. But if you have a couple of hours to prepare prior to evacuating, using what time you have in a calm and efficient manner will make all the difference. Here are some actions to consider:

Consider Evacuating Right Away. If you see smoke or flames near you, or if you feel like you are in an unsafe place or that your evacuation route will soon be compromised, evacuate immediately. Do not wait for a reverse 911 or other official evacuation order. And do not call 911 to ask if you need to evacuate. Doing so ties up emergency resources, delaying help for others who need emergency help.

Voluntary evacuations are advised if you are concerned for your safety, feel you need additional time to exit the area, or have health conditions that may be aggravated by the incident. You are also encouraged to move pets and animals out of the area to prepare for mandatory evacuations.

Monitor Official Information Sources. Monitor these official Boulder Office of Disaster Management resources for updates on evacuations and the fire:

Inventory Your Go Bag and Gather Your Checklist Items. Make sure you have everything you need by going through your go bag and checklist of items to take. Also refer to our Wildfire Evacuation Checklist.

Other Preparation Measures: As time permits, here are some other ways to prepare your home just before you evacuate:

  • Gather children, dependents, and pets/livestock, or make arrangements to meet them in town if they are not with you at home
  • Gather your go bag and the items on your evacuation checklist and put them in your vehicle
  • Crate your pets so they are ready to be loaded into your vehicle
  • Open your garage door
  • Park your vehicle facing out
  • Review your evacuation routes. District evacuation maps are available here: https://www.bmfpd.org/evac-maps
  • Turn house lights on, close windows, turn off air conditioner, leave doors and garage closed and unlocked
  • Dress to prevent burns. Wear natural fiber clothing (long pants and long-sleeved shirt), boots, goggles, hat, and bandana or N-95 mask—but don’t waste time looking for these items
  • Move propane and BBQ appliances away from structures
  • Place a ladder against the house
  • Move combustible deck furniture and doormats inside
  • Attach outdoor hoses and make them visible

If the evacuation order comes, or if you smell smoke/see flames or otherwise feel unsafe, act immediately. Load people and pets and GO!

If you receive an Evacuation Order or Decide to Evacuate Based on Perceived Threat

When you receive an evacuation order or when you decide to evacuate because of an immediate perceived threat, you no longer have time to prepare beyond grabbing your go bag and loading your family and pets in your vehicle. It is time to go, immediately.

When to Leave: If a fire happens in our area and you feel your safety is threatened, take appropriate actions. You do not need to wait for an evacuation notice to leave.

When you receive an evacuation order, leave immediately. This will help you avoid being caught in fire, smoke, or road congestion. Do not wait to be told multiple times by authorities to leave. In an intense wildfire, they may not have time to knock on every door. If you are advised to leave, don’t hesitate! Do not check your neighborhood’s email forum to ask if you should leave. Do not call 911 to ask if you need to evacuate. Doing so ties up emergency resources, delaying help for others who need emergency assistance.

Where to Go: Leave to a predetermined location (it should be a low-risk area, such as a well-prepared friend’s or relative’s house, a Red Cross shelter or evacuation center, a hotel, etc.)

How to Get There: Have several travel routes in case one route is blocked by the fire or by emergency vehicles and equipment. Choose an escape route away from the fire. Download and print district evacuation maps in advance, and put copies in every vehicle.