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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.

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.

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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!