Wildfires are a deadly and destructive threat to people and property. According to the National Interagency Coordination Center, 6 of the top 10 largest wildfire seasons have occurred in the last decade. As wildfires become more powerful, businesses must be proactive.
How Can I Protect My Business Against Wildfires?
Create a plan. Have a plan in place to relocate people from your building to a designated emergency location. Plans should also consider business continuity. Make sure to communicate with employees and key business partners.
Get inspections. Work with professionals to identify and maintain access to water sources, like fire hydrants and water storage tanks. You should also ensure all site entrances are large enough to accommodate emergency vehicles.
Create a wildfire team. Create and train a wildfire team that will perform necessary safety actions if a wildfire occurs. Set clear parameters for the conditions that can start or stop different phases of your wildfire action plan.
Monitor wildfire risk. Identify and monitor local news media sources to track wildfires and keep track of any threats to your facility and employee homes. Be prepared with alternative means of communication, like portable radios and satellite phones, in case of a power or communication outage.
Create open space. Ensure at least 25 feet of open space between buildings and tall grassy sections. Additionally, there should be at least 200 feet of open space between buildings and forested areas.
Manage your landscape. Use noncombustible materials for landscaping, like stone, rock, brick, and concrete. Don’t let combustible debris accumulate.
Protect building exteriors. Exterior building surfaces should be flame-resistant or noncombustible. Prevent foliage or debris accumulation on exterior surfaces by cleaning frequently.
Protect building interiors. Use tight-fitting, noncombustible doors, shutters, or dampers to keep soot and smoke from entering the building. Make sure air intake fans for heating and air-conditioning can be shut off manually or automatically with the detection of smoke.
Take evacuation orders seriously. Making the decision to leave your business during a wildfire can be a difficult one. However, it is important to follow the evacuation recommendations provided by local authorities or fire officials.
For more helpful tips, visit Wildfire Preparedness – A Checklist for Businesses.
