Emergency Preparedness Guide: Anchorage, AK

Earthquakes strike without warning — structural damage and broken water mains are common.

In Anchorage: Anchorage sits above the Aleutian subduction zone — one of the world's most active seismic regions. The 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake (magnitude 9.2) devastated the city, and a 7.1 quake in 2018 caused significant infrastructure damage.

Extended winter storms knock out power for days — prepare to survive without heat.

In Anchorage: Anchorage averages 75 inches of snow annually with temperatures regularly dropping below -10°F. Multi-day blizzards can isolate neighborhoods, and power outages during extreme cold are life-threatening.

Wildfires can spread faster than a car — pre-evacuation planning saves lives.

In Anchorage: Interior Alaska's boreal forest fuels massive wildfires in dry summers. Smoke from distant fires regularly blankets Anchorage, degrading air quality for weeks at a time.