Evacuation is the organized process of moving people away from danger to a safer location. When a hurricane approaches a coastal city, officials order an evacuation, directing residents to leave before the storm arrives. When a fire alarm sounds in a school, students follow evacuation procedures, walking calmly to designated meeting spots outside.

During evacuations, people might leave their homes for hours, days, or even weeks, depending on the threat.

Successful evacuations require planning and practice. That's why schools hold fire drills and coastal communities create evacuation routes marked with special signs. During World War II, British cities conducted massive evacuations, sending children to the countryside to escape bombing raids. More recently, wildfires in California have forced sudden evacuations, giving families only minutes to grab essentials and leave.

The verb form is evacuate: “The captain ordered everyone to evacuate the building.” An evacuee is someone who has been evacuated. While evacuations can feel scary or disruptive, they save lives by getting people out of harm's way before disaster strikes.