Wildfires can occur at any time throughout the year, though they are most common between April and October. The western and southern regions of the United States typically have the greatest risk of experiencing the effects of wildfires.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 42,077 fires have burned 7,840,400 acres so far this year. Wildland fire activity is currently present in nine states, where 27 large active wildfires have burned 1,183.610 acres.
Fire risk is elevated by several factors, including hot and dry weather conditions, high fuel amounts, types of vegetation, human activities like fireworks or unsafe campfires, electrical hazards, and climate change.
Wildfire insurance is a vital tool for businesses and individuals in fire-prone areas. If you think your business is in a high-risk area, assessing and obtaining appropriat coverage is important!
Here are a few tips to protect yourself, your business, and your property during wildfire season:
- Assess your property for potential risk—Do this first so you can find areas where you can improve. Your insurance agent can check your level of risk based on your location and how prone it is to fires. Also, check to see if you are in an area with a high concentration of fire fuel or vegetation.
- Protect your property with fuel gaps and fire-resistant landscaping – Once you have identified potential risk areas, take steps to mitigate them. Create cleared zones around your property that will stop embers from jumping from one fuel source to another. According to PG&E, California law requires 100 feet of defensible space around your home or to the property line. Consider planting fire-resistant plants and keeping trees and shrubs pruned. Always make sure to remove any dead vegetation as well.
- Create an Emergency Plan
- You may already have procedures for fire or other emergencies, but creating a plan specifically tailored to wildfires is helpful. Don’t forget to include contact information for the appropriate local authorities, evacuation routes, meeting points and locations for emergency supply kits. If you are a business owner, distribute your plan to employees and ensure they feel confident and able to follow it.
- CalFire also has a helpful plan called the “6 P’s of Evacuation,” which includes people and pets; papers, phone numbers, and documents; prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses; pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia; personal computers, hard drives, and disks; and “plastic” (ATM cards, cash).
- Review your insurance coverage – There are quite a few types of commercial insurance that can help protect businesses against wildfires, including:
- Commercial Property Insurance: Property insurance covers damage or loss to your building, equipment, inventory, and other physical assets due to fire or other effects of the fire, such as smoke damage. It can also provide coverage for business interruption, helping compensate for lost income when your business cannot operate due to a covered event.
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance: Workers’ compensation insurance covers employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses. It helps cover medical expenses, disability benefits, and lost wages for employees who are injured on the job. It is typically required by law.
- General Liability Insurance: This provides coverage for third-party claims related to bodily injury, property damage, or personal injury that may occur on business premises. It can help protect against lawsuits and medical expenses resulting from accidents or involving customers, suppliers, or other individuals entering the space.
- Environmental Liability Insurance: In some cases, businesses may need supplemental insurance to ensure they’re covered against environmental events such as wildfires. This can help businesses in areas highly prone to these disasters ensure the security they need.
Our team is ready to partner to protect your business from wildfire risk.
Inquire HERE to get connected and start getting your questions about risk and wildfire insurance answered.
References:
Learn How to Create Defensible Space Around Your Home – PG&E Safety Action Center.
OpenAI. (2023, July). [Tips for preparing your business for wildfire season]. Retrieved from [ChatGPT.com].
