Alaska
The state where self-reliance isn't optional.
Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, wildfires, and winters that last eight months. Alaska's hazards are extreme, and help is often hours or days away. Preparedness here means 14 days of supplies, not 72 hours.
Enter your Alaska ZIP for live alerts, forecasts, and county-specific data.
Know your region
What you prepare for depends on where in Alaska you live.
Southcentral
Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula, the Matanuska Valley. Home to most of the state's population and the most earthquake-prone area. The 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake (M9.2) reshaped the coastline. The 2018 Anchorage quake (M7.1) was a reminder.
Primary hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, winter storms, wildfire
Aleutians & SW Alaska
The Ring of Fire runs through the island chain. Over 50 active volcanoes. Ashfall disrupts air travel and contaminates water. Earthquakes and tsunamis are constant threats in the most seismically active region on Earth.
Primary hazards: volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis
Interior & North
Fairbanks and everything north. Minus 40°F is routine. Summers bring massive wildfires. The 2015 fire season burned over 5 million acres. Roads ice over in September and stay that way until April.
Primary hazards: extreme cold, wildfire, winter storms
Your hazard profile
5 hazards that apply to Alaska.
Each links to a full guide with during-event protocol, recovery steps, and resources specific to AK.
Earthquakes
Alaska is the most seismically active state. The 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake (M9.2) is the strongest recorded in North America. Hundreds of small quakes occur monthly.
Read the earthquakes guide →
Tsunamis
Coastal communities face tsunami risk from local and distant earthquakes. The 1964 tsunami killed 119 people. Know your evacuation route by heart.
Read the tsunamis guide →
Volcanic activity
Over 130 volcanoes, more than 50 active since 1760. Ashfall disrupts air travel, damages engines, and contaminates water. Keep N95 masks on hand.
Read the volcanic activity guide →
Wildfires
Interior Alaska experiences massive wildfires during dry summers. The 2015 season burned 5 million acres. Smoke degrades air quality across the state for weeks.
Read the wildfires guide →
Winter storms & extreme cold
Minus 40°F in the interior. Blizzards isolate communities for days. Winter lasts six to eight months. Backup heating and 14-day supplies are the minimum.
Read the winter storms & extreme cold guide →
Alaska resources
The agencies and programs that cover your state.
Alaska DHSEM
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Coordinates disaster response and the state's preparedness campaigns.
Alaska Earthquake Center
Real-time earthquake monitoring. Recent quakes, hazard maps, and preparedness resources from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Alaska Volcano Observatory
Monitors all active volcanoes. Alert levels, ash advisories, and eruption updates.
NWS Alaska Tsunami Warning
National Tsunami Warning Center based in Palmer, Alaska. Issues warnings for the entire U.S. West Coast and Alaska.
Fourteen days, not seventy-two hours
In Alaska, the standard advice isn't enough.
The standard recommendation for most states is 72 hours of supplies. In Alaska, that number is dangerously low. Roads wash out and take days to repair. Shipping routes close in winter. Earthquakes can sever the single highway connecting communities.
The 1964 earthquake destroyed infrastructure across Southcentral Alaska. The 2018 quake reminded Anchorage that it can happen again. Every Alaskan household should maintain at least 14 days of food, water, and medications, a backup heating source independent of electricity, and a communication plan that doesn't depend on cell towers.
Self-reliance here is not a philosophy. It is a geographic reality.