In the U.S. alone, there was an average of 61,289 wildfires annually from 2012 to 2021. The incidence range of wildfires is only continuing to rise over time, increasing damages and making them more difficult to contain. This has significant impacts on the environment, populations living in affected areas, and businesses worldwide.
These impacts can be so significant and devastating that businesses need to prepare for the possible effects of wildfires on assets and operations. This is particularly true of businesses that operate in areas commonly affected by wildfires, but it is important to keep in mind that wildfires can occur anywhere. By creating specific, up-to-date protocols and properly training employees on how to follow them, a business can significantly reduce losses related to wildfires.
While there are risk factors in some areas that make wildfires more prevalent, they are different from other natural disasters as they are restricted to any particular location. Many factors are increasing the prevalence of wildfires worldwide, notably the effects of climate change. Climate change is causing problems such as changes in temperatures, drier conditions, longer seasons, and different growing conditions for plant life.
All of these factors can increase the number of wildfires and pose new difficulties in addressing them. Firefighting strategies and efforts will need to expand and shift to address this increased prevalence and the changing circumstances. The number of large wildfires documented in the western U.S. doubled from 1984 to 2015, and the number only continues to rise over time.
Like many natural disasters, wildfires can cause significant damage and pose many risks to businesses. Wildfires can cause damage to businesses even if the wildfire isn’t local to headquarters’ or local branches. Risks wildfires pose to businesses include:
Businesses that are likely to experience the most significant damages are those that are based in an affected location or employee individuals or third-party services based in an affected location.
Wildfires can have many unexpected, far-reaching impacts beyond the direct damage they cause to structures and the surrounding environment. Businesses in wildfire-prone areas may face unique challenges, both during and after a significant fire. These challenges can include the following:
Often, wildfires can cause mental and emotional distress for employees and customers. This can lead to reduced focus on tasks or a lack of motivation, making it difficult for businesses to operate as usual.
Wildfires have the potential to cause significant disruption and damage to businesses in the affected areas. Businesses should ensure they are prepared with emergency plans and backup strategies to help deal with potential fire-related disasters. It is also essential to review insurance policies regularly to ensure that businesses are covered for all possible scenarios. By taking the necessary steps, companies can protect their assets, operations, and employees from the impact of a wildfire or any natural disaster.
An emergency response plan is a set of specific protocols for what steps a business should take in response to an emergency. A wildfire emergency response plan is a plan that focuses on response to a wildfire. When developing a wildfire emergency response plan for a business, it is important to consider the following factors:
It will also be valuable to conduct a risk assessment to determine how likely it is for your business to be affected by wildfires and what unique risks your business is likely to face in such an event.
Many of the questions above are complicated. Data-driven insights can help you answer these questions, ask more questions you may not have thought of, and make smarter decisions.
Additionally, you should invest in hiring risk management professionals that will be immensely helpful resources for conducting an effective risk assessment and developing a comprehensive risk management plan.
It is important to not only prepare to respond appropriately to a wildfire, but also to take steps to mitigate the negative impacts of a possible future wildfire. This can be done by taking the following steps:
It is important to regularly revisit these protocols to determine whether updates need to be made and to conduct regular training sessions for employees.
One of the most vital safety elements of emergency wildfire response is evacuation preparation. This involves being aware of evacuation routes, ensuring that you have reliable transportation, knowing what to bring with you, and understanding how to properly secure any property left behind. Businesses can better protect assets and — even more importantly — their employees by ensuring that employees are fully prepared for an evacuation.
This can be accomplished by sending out informational materials, directing employees to local informational resources and tools, and holding regular training sessions. Companies can further assist in the evacuation of employees by providing resources such as transportation and financial assistance.
Recovering from losses related to a wildfire can be a long, arduous, and expensive process. Both direct damage to assets and interruptions of business operations can be very expensive, and it may take a long time to recover lost assets and return to previous levels of operations.
It is also important to consider the potential toll on the emotional state and morale of employees, who may have lost personal items or even loved ones as a result of the fire. As such, part of a post-wildfire recovery plan should not only involve submitting insurance claims, assessing losses, and replenishing lost inventory, but also efforts to promote the well-being of employees. This can include efforts such as financial support and the provision of counseling services.
Further resources that can be beneficial for businesses that are trying to prepare for wildfire response include: