Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes as the wildfires that have claimed six lives continue to scorch over one million acres throughout Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado.
“Right now we have a lot of acreage that is burning with a lot of damage to pastures, fences and some structures,” says Robert Kaelin, president of the Midwest/West region at CBIZ Insurance Services.
Although fire activity throughout the region is slowing, red flag warnings remain in effect for areas of Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado, as storms and high winds fuel the prairie fires.
Beyond property risks and exposures during a wildfire, Kaelin notes how there are additional exposures that people often overlook in an event such as this. “There is also a liability concern,” Kaelin says. “We counsel our clients on liability exposures that they may have if they operate equipment that can cause fires. The liability and exposures they face is a true risk, and that is a side that people don’t often think about.”
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So what can people do to protect themselves and their property during a natural hazard such as this? Create a defensible space, says CBIZ’s Kevin Herndon, risk advisor. “Protect your property with a little bit of mitigation,” he says. “Put green grass and rocks in place; remove any combustible foliage out of your area and clean pine needles out of your gutters; those are a few things the NFPA recommends Also, look at for natural fire blocks around your property, such as roads and tree lines in the area that can help you out,” says Herndon. Defending properties with strategic mitigation can effectively deter damage from a wildfire.
With 90% of the fires occurring in the US caused by humans, according to the US Department of Interior, educating and training businesses that have fire risks on how to control fires can greatly reduce the exposure, says Kaelin. Taking steps to defend properties with strategic mitigation is imperative when trying to deter damage from a wildfire. When considering that 90% of fires in the US are caused by human actions, according to the US Department of Interior, educating and training businesses that have fire risks on how to control and mitigate fires can greatly reduce the exposure, says Kaelin. “We have clients that have to be very careful in their operations so that they are not the ones setting these fires. Taking steps towards brush control and other things that help people mitigate risks are key for fires like this,” he says.
