June 1st is the traditional start; wildfires also become more devastating

With hurricane season just getting started, here is the 2021 Atlantic hurricane outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Above-normal storm activity for the second year in a row is being predicted. According to NOAA, the Atlantic could see as many as five major hurricanes this season between June 1 and November 30.

While we live in an area that isn’t typically impacted by hurricanes, we DO send Red Cross volunteers from Northern Ohio into hurricane zones, to help affected residents find safe shelter and to help them with their recovery when the skies clear.

We want to help anyone you may know in storm-prone areas stay safe by following a few simple steps. You can find more safety tips at redcross.org/hurricane and on our free Emergency App (search “American Red Cross” in mobile app stores).

Wildfire risk also high

While wildfires can strike at any time, we’re heading into the time of year when they are most devastating, particularly in the western U.S.

As you’ll see in this outlook, after 2020’s record-setting blazes burned over 10 million acres, extended drought conditions mean many communities across the West are again at high risk for severe wildfires this year. In California, wildfires already have destroyed about triple the average acreage that they usually do by this point in the year.

We are hoping for the best, but are ready to offer safe refuge, nourishing meals, emotional support and other essentials when blazes – and other disasters – force families to flee their homes.