As wildfires spark across Colorado each year, emergency officials have adopted a three-stage system to manage evacuations.

“Fire season is now a year-round reality in many areas, requiring firefighters and residents to be on heightened alert for the threat of wildfire throughout the year,” a multi-agency report hosted by the National Interagency Fire Center stated. “… It’s not a question of if but when the next major wildfire will occur.”

The three tiers of evacuation orders in Colorado allow residents to prepare ahead of the flames and know when danger is coming. Here’s what you should do in each stage to be ready.

Jump to each stage: Green: “READY” | Yellow: “SET” | Red: “GO”

Green: “READY”

The “ready” stage is a warning to residents that it’s time to scout evacuation routes

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