---
title: "WILDFIRE SEASON: Be better prepared and stay safer"
description: Wildfire season can spark serious threats to your business, your people, and your assets. Here are some actions you can take to prepare and stay safe.
---

[Convergence Blog | Weather Intelligence by AccuWeather for Business](https://afb.accuweather.com/blog)

# [WILDFIRE SEASON: Be better prepared and stay safer](https://afb.accuweather.com/blog/wildfire-season-be-prepared-and-be-safe)

 Written by [Adrianne Burke](https://afb.accuweather.com/blog/author/adrianne-burke) | Mar 14, 2023

## DANGERS OF WILDFIRES

Wildfires are fast-moving and an out-of-control fire can significantly impact your business causing property damage, business disruptions, and supply-chain issues. Between 2021-2022, wildfires accounted for over $11.2 billion in damage across the United States. Even if your business isn’t in the direct path of a wildfire, your business could still suffer indirect consequences. Companies must be as prepared as possible. 

Here is a checklist of actions you should take to prepare your business before, during, and after a wildfire: 

## Before a wildfire: 

A wildfire can pause or shut down your business. If your business is closed for an extended period, it can impact your customer base. Preparing before a wildfire in advance can give your business the best chance of survival. 

- Provide training to company safety managers, managers, and their backups on the emergency plan and how to use fire extinguishers
- Train employees on fire safety and your evacuation plan and run wildfire evacuation drills
- Determine how employees will evacuate on foot if roads are closed because of fire or are blocked by emergency personnel
- Ensure there are enough fire extinguishers placed in strategic locations and they are up to date 
- Maintain a water supply at your property to control a minor fire until emergency personnel can arrive
- Obtain a generator to power water pumps in the event of a power outage
- Have tools on hand, including axes, rakes, saws, shovels, ladders, and a battery-operated radio 
- Develop a plan to disseminate communication to employees, vendors, and clients
- Obtain backup vendors who wildfires may impact so your business operations and supply chain are not disrupted

## During a wildfire: 

When a wildfire breaks out, minutes matter and an immediate, proper response can save lives. Managers and employees must follow your emergency plan and evacuation orders. 

- Do not stay and try to protect your property against the fire
- If the fire is moving too swiftly and you can not evacuate, go to a pre-designated shelter in the basement or the lowest level of the building
- Close doors but leave them unlocked to emergency personnel can reach you; do not open windows
- Make sure to turn on all lights to increase visibility in thick smoke
- Use brightly-colored material or clothing to mark your location inside the building
- Shut off gas meters and propane tanks 
- Move ladders against the building so firefighters can get roof access
- Turn on a battery-operated radio to get emergency information and directions  

## After a wildfire: 

Decide which person is responsible for giving you the all-clear and determine how, when, and if you and your employees can return. Even if your business recovers, your clients and vendors may not. 

- Check the building and roof for any fire or hot embers. If you encounter a fire, contact 911 immediately. 
- Determine if the power is on by checking the main breaker. Sometimes, fires can cause breakers to trip. If the power isn’t on, contact your utility company.
- Check with your vendors and suppliers to see the status of their business operations

Early notification of a wildfire can help mitigate the risk to your people, business continuity, and profits. [AccuWeather’s Wildfire Proximity Alerts](https://afb.accuweather.com/wildfire-proximity-alerts) are delivered as soon as the fire is detected and are backed by AccuWeather’s Superior Accuracy™. When a wildfire has sparked within 10 miles of your asset locations, you receive insights and notifications from our expert meteorologists. Your locations are monitored 24x7x365, and available for one-on-one consultation for wildfire alerts, air quality alerts, high winds, and more. 

[View full post](https://afb.accuweather.com/blog/wildfire-season-be-prepared-and-be-safe)

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