If you live in Western Canada, chances are that emergency preparedness and the onset of wildfire season are on your mind right now. Since April, 360,835 hectares have burned as a result of BC’s early and aggressive wildfire season, with 58 evacuation orders in place that affect over 5,000 properties (KelownaNow).

While wildfire season is an inevitable part of living in Western Canada, the worst time to learn where to go and what to do during an emergency is when it is happening. There are things you can do to prepare yourself, your loved ones, or your business if the wind should change direction and you need to evacuate due to a nearby wildfire.

HAVE AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN

Make an emergency plan that walks each person through what they need to do if a wildfire gets close to your home or business. This plan should include:

• Possible escape routes;

• Meeting points;

• Emergency preparedness checklist with all the essentials you'll need if you must evacuate, including important insurance or property documents and personal identification;

• Important contacts to help you deal with the possible aftermath of wildfire damage to your property, such as restoration companies, storage, and local authorities;

• Keep battery-operated radios and flashlights with additional fresh batteries on hand.

Practice your plan until everyone feels comfortable with what they should do if a wildfire is imminent.

STORE SUPPLIES AND IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS IN ADVANCE

If you haven’t already done so, now is a good time to consider packing up some crucial supplies, personal items, and documents in a storage container at a secured yard, or in another safe, dry, and waterproof place so that you are prepared for the wildfire season that has started early this year:

• Important Documents: If you have paper forms of your home or renter’s insurance, pack them and consider backup disks, USB drives, paper contact list, photo CDs, and photograph albums.

• Emergency Supply Kit: This should include water (1 gallon per person), a three-day supply of dry and canned food per person, flashlight, a portable radio, first aid kit and medicine, batteries, a manual can opener, face coverings/PPE, oxygen systems, blankets and pillows, extra clothing, and sanitation products.

• Special or Valuable items: It may not be reasonable to keep every important thing in a box if they are used often or as décor. In that case, make a list of a few valuable items and keep the list on top of your pre-packed ‘go bag’ so you see it right away.

• Pets: If you have pets, keep carriers, extra leashes, food, and water (and a bowl), litter boxes, litter, and any medications nearby as needed.

RESTORATION AND DISASTER STORAGE TO THE RESCUE

Fire and smoke will impact homes and businesses with both the building structure itself, as well as the contents inside of your home or business. Thankfully, restoration companies have a dedicated division of experts that can help restore the contents of your home or business to pre-fire condition.

First, restoration companies will conduct an inspection of the affected items and areas, then outline the different methods of restoration needed to bring your belongings and property back to life. They will take a detailed inventory of your belongings, as well as their condition, and safely pack them into a storage container for processing at their warehouse. Shipping containers are a perfect solution for disaster response because they provide secure, weatherproof storage on-site during the packing process, and can easily be moved to a secure yard while the contents are processed and cleaned. A detailed inventory of your belongings and the condition will help your insurance company determine coverage and/or compensation.

While the affected contents of your home or business are being processed and stored securely, the restoration company works to clean out any soot, ash, and musty air from the inside of your home or office. Special equipment is used to dry out areas affected by water, and technicians can neutralize smoke odours with air scrubbers and wipe away residue with unique cleaning products.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Wildfire Dashboards

• British Columbia

• Alberta

Restoration Companies – British Columbia

• 24Hr Disaster Restoration Services – Delta

• ABK Restoration Services – Penticton

• Belfor Property Restoration – Kelowna

• First General Restoration – Kelowna

• Genesis Restoration – Kelowna

• Hydraclean Restoration Services – Kelowna

• Insurance Restoration Pro – Chilliwack

• Interior Restoration – Armstrong

• Okanagan Restoration Services – Kelowna

• On Side Restoration – Kelowna

• ServiceMaster Restore – Kelowna

• Stutters DKI – Kelowna

• Total Restoration – Kelowna, Penticton, and Vernon

• Winmar Restoration – Kelowna

Restoration Companies – Alberta

• Alliance Restorations – Calgary

• Allstar Restoration – Calgary

• Belfor Property Restoration – Calgary

• Canada’s Restoration Services – Calgary

• Concure Restoration Inc. – Calgary

• Direct Restoration – Calgary

• Extreme Quality Restoration – Calgary

• FirstOnSite Restoration – Calgary

• HomeWorks Restoration – Calgary

• Maxim Building Restoration – Calgary

• McKnight Cleaning & Restoration – Canmore

• On Side Restoration – Calgary

• ProStar Cleaning & Restoration – Calgary

• Pure Restoration – Calgary

• Robyn’s Restoration – Calgary

• ServiceMaster Restore – Calgary

• Twin City Restorations – Lloydminster

• Vintage Stove Restoration – Didsbury

Animal Care

• Animal Food Bank

• BC SPCA

• Alberta SPCA

With an unprecedented number of acres being burned so far, we have all seen the devastating aftermath of a wildfire. We encourage everyone to be prepared, and pack up and store a few months in advance of wildfire season to ensure you’re well taken care of if an evacuation order comes. Talk to us about storing your emergency preparedness valuables and supplies at one of our yards closest to you!