Protect your business wildfire preparedness

If your business operates in a wildfire-prone region, taking proactive measures to safeguard your property, assets, and employees is essential. While no building is completely fireproof, implementing best practices can help protect your business against severe wildfire damages and interruptions.

Create defensible space zones

Reducing wildfire risk starts with creating defensible space zones around your business premises. These zones provide a buffer between your building and the approaching wildfire, significantly reducing the risk of flames and embers reaching your property. Defensible space is typically divided into three zones: Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3.

• Zone 1 (0 to 5 feet from the building):
  • Focus on aggressive fire-resistant maintenance closest to your business structure
  • Avoid flammable landscaping materials, like wood mulch or dry bark
  • Use non-combustible outdoor furniture and make sure plants near the building are well-watered
  • Remove debris regularly, including dry leaves and branches, from rooftops, gutters, and around the property
  • Relocate flammable materials, such as woodpiles and propane tanks, at least 30 feet away from the building
  • Prune tree branches that hang over the roof
• Zone 2 (5 to 30 feet from the building):
  • Remove dead plants, dry grass, and leaf debris from the yard and surrounding areas
  • Trim trees regularly and maintain at least 10 feet of space between tree canopies
  • Avoid dense vegetation and focus on creating safer yard or parking layouts
• Zone 3 (30 to 100 feet from the building):
  • Maintain trimmed grass to 4 inches or less
  • Remove large piles of plant debris or clutter that could easily ignite
  • Space trees and shrubs both vertically and horizontally to prevent the spread of flames

Fireproof your roof

The roof is one of the most vulnerable parts of a building during wildfires. Ensuring your business roof is constructed with flame-resistant materials can help mitigate loss.

• Build or upgrade roofs using nonflammable materials, such as metal, slate, tile, or Class A fire-rated asphalt shingles
• Treat wood shingles, if already installed, with fire retardant or consider retrofitting with nonflammable options for better long-term protection
• Install gutter guards to prevent the accumulation of flammable debris, like leaves and twigs
• Keep gutters and rooftops clear with regular cleaning, particularly during wildfire season

Establish a secure perimeter

A fire near your property can become just as dangerous as flames directly on your buildings. If something outside your structure ignites, it may quickly spread to the business itself.

• Replace wood or bark mulch with non-combustible options, such as gravel or stone
• Ensure plants near the building are fire-resistant and well-watered and remove/replace any dead or overly dry vegetation.
• Separate flammable fences or landscaping features from the building with fireproof barriers, such as metal or masonry
• Keep flammable materials, dumpsters, or vegetation farther away from your main structures

Protect eaves and vents from embers

Wildfires often spread through embers traveling through the air. These embers can accumulate under eaves, in vents, or other open areas, potentially starting fires inside your building.

• Clean the undersides of eaves thoroughly and seal any gaps
• Install soffits to protect eave undersides and ensure they are made of ignition-resistant material
• Fit vents with 1/8-inch or finer metal mesh screens to block embers

Upgrade windows and walls

Fire-resistant building materials significantly improve your business’s chances of remaining intact after a wildfire.

• Upgrade windows and skylights to double-paned, tempered glass to withstand higher temperatures and reduce the risk of embers penetrating the building
• Replace flammable siding materials, like wood shingles, with ignition-resistant alternatives, such as fiber cement, stucco, or fire-retardant-treated wood

Collaborate with neighboring businesses and communities

Wildfire preparedness isn’t limited to individual businesses; community-wide efforts are essential to ensure your strategies are effective.

• Work with neighboring businesses to ensure surrounding properties implement similar fireproofing measures
• Join or support programs like the U.S. Forest Service’s Firewise Communities initiative, which helps communities prepare for wildfires
• Learn more about community-level fireproofing from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Prepare for emergency responder access

In the event of a wildfire, firefighters and emergency responders must be able to access your property quickly to provide protection.

• Ensure your business address and property signage are clearly visible from the road
• Confirm your driveway and parking areas are wide enough to accommodate fire trucks and emergency vehicles
• Remove obstacles and provide emergency personnel with updated floor plans or building layouts, if feasible

Understand your insurance coverage

• Review your policies with your insurance broker to ensure you understand what is covered
• Review policy deductibles, special provisions and loss-reporting provisions
• Determine if wildfire loss is a covered peril or is excluded
• Know how the building property is valued under the policy
• Examine business interruption coverage details
• Include your insurance company’s toll-free claims number and insurance broker’s name in your emergency kit
• Meet with insurers to set claim management protocols
• Review and update procedures and responsibilities for gathering and processing claim information, including a list of outside resources needed for recovery
• Determine if all asset values are current for potential claims, including property damage or business interruption

Take proactive steps to mitigate loss

Taking proactive steps to protect your business can help reduce the risk of damage, keep employees safe, and minimize operational interruptions. Wildfires are fast-moving and unpredictable, but preparation and planning are critical to mitigating threats and protecting your business assets.

Let us help safeguard your assets and support the future of your business.