Wildfire and Power Outages: Food Safety for Freezers and Refrigerators

Transcript [Music] From Washington State University Extension, welcome to a special podcast series on wildfires and food safety. Wildfires may not directly threaten your home, but extended power outages can create serious food safety risks. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recommend preparing insulated coolers, ice, and frozen gel packs for use during evacuation. If power is cut, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. An unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours (40 degrees Fahrenheit or below); a full freezer for 48 hours, and a half-full freezer about 24 hours. If possible, take perishable food to a friend’s house. If evacuated and power is off for more than 24 hours, assume food is potentially unsafe. That’s true if power is restored while you’re evacuated, especially if temperatures cannot be verified after power restoration. I’m Susie Craig. Thanks for listening to 7 podcasts in this series. [Music] Resources U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. (n.d.). Keep your food safe during emergencies: Power outages, floods & fires. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/emergencies/keep-your-food-safe-during-emergencies. Accessed online 8/7/26.