Prepping in Sacramento
Sacramento sits where two big rivers meet and is often called one of the most flood-prone cities in America. Levees protect much of it, which is why flood planning matters even in dry years.
- Flooding
- Extreme heat
- Wildfire smoke
Sign up today
The official Sacramento alert and lookup tools. Each takes a few minutes and works even if you do nothing else on this page.
- Sacramento AlertSign up for Sacramento Alert
The emergency alert system for Sacramento County and its cities. Sacramento County now handles sign-ups and updates through a free Smart911 profile, where you can add home and work addresses.
Links checked October 2026. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach most phones automatically; these add local detail.
What can go wrong in Sacramento
- River and levee flooding
- The American and Sacramento rivers meet here, and much of the city depends on levees. Big winter storms raise the risk.
- Winter storms
- Atmospheric rivers bring flooding, toppled trees and widespread outages.
- Extreme heat
- Summer heat waves above 100°F strain the grid and make outages dangerous.
- Wildfire smoke
- Smoke from Sierra and foothill fires can make the air unhealthy for days.
- Earthquakes
- Less risk than the Bay Area, but a strong quake could damage levees.
What that means for your plan
Check your flood risk, even if your home has never flooded. Levee-protected areas can still flood if a levee fails.
Have a go-bag and two ways out of your neighborhood in case of a flood evacuation.
Plan for summer outages and smoke: a power station, N95 masks and an air purifier.
Do these first, in this order
- Sacramento Alert
Flood and evacuation orders.
Radios and communication guide - Go-bag
For flood evacuations.
Go-bags and evacuation guide - Two weeks of water
Basic insurance for any disaster.
Water storage and filters guide - Power station
Fans, purifiers and medical devices.
Power stations and generators guide - N95 masks
For smoke days.
Go-bags and evacuation guide - First-aid kit
Heat illness and storm injuries.
First aid and medical guide
Questions
Is Sacramento at high risk of flooding?
Yes. It sits at the meeting of two major rivers and relies on levees. Federal and state agencies have spent billions to strengthen them, but residents should still know their risk and have a plan.
How do I get emergency alerts in Sacramento?
Register for Sacramento Alert, the alert system for Sacramento County and its cities, and keep Wireless Emergency Alerts on.
How ready is your Sacramento home?
The quiz weights every item for suburbs risks and shows your top gaps. About 3 minutes, no sign-up.