évacuation

Evacuation is the organized removal of people from a place experiencing or at imminent risk of danger to a safer location. It is a component of emergency management used in response to natural hazards such as wildfires, floods, or hurricanes; industrial accidents; armed conflict; and certain public health emergencies. Evacuation can be a temporary measure or a longer-term relocation.

Evacuations vary in timing and scope. Rapid or emergency evacuations are initiated with little warning and rely on predefined routes and transportation capacity. Planned evacuations are announced in advance, with staged departures, specified routes, and designated shelters. A related concept is medical evacuation (medevac), the transport of patients to facilities with appropriate care.

Effective evacuation planning requires risk assessment, clear communication, and coordination among authorities, transportation providers, and shelter operators. Plans consider accessibility for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, language needs, and pet and livestock considerations. The goal is to move people safely with minimal exposure to danger while maintaining order and protecting critical services.

Common challenges include limited transport resources, bottlenecks at roadways, misinformation, shelter capacity, and the logistics of reunification and return once danger passes. Evacuation decisions may be driven by law, policy, or emergency declarations and often include post-evacuation assistance such as temporary housing, health care, and social services.