Is Your Small Business Ready for Wildfire Season?

What Can Small Businesses Do to Protect Their Properties From Wildfires?

You can’t stop a wildfire. But you can make your property a harder target, and have a plan when the worst happens. Here’s what wildfire preparedness looks like for a small business:

Monitor Conditions in Your Region

Stay on top of weather and drought conditions in your area. Every provincial government publishes wildfire updates:

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Nova Scotia
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan

For more loss prevention strategies, download our free guide: How to Protect Your Business Property in the Era of Climate Change.

Maintain Equipment and Upgrade Your Building

Service your gas-powered equipment and vehicles regularly. A spark from a poorly maintained engine can ignite dry brush in seconds. If you’re planning any renovations, prioritize fire-resistant materials: metal roofing, non-combustible siding, and fire-rated windows can make a significant difference in how your building holds up.

Create Defensible Space Around Your Property

• Clear dried debris, leaves, and dead vegetation from around the building
• Clean out gutters and eavestroughs regularly
• Keep combustible materials, such as propane tanks, wood piles, chemicals, at least 10 metres away from your building
• Trim trees, shrubs, and grass, and keep plants at least 2 metres away from your foundation

Check Your Safety Systems

Test your smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and interior sprinkler system at least twice a year, and don’t wait until fire season to find out something isn’t working.

Back Up Your Business Data

Don’t overlook your digital assets. Back up critical business data regularly and store copies both in the cloud and at a secure offsite location. If your physical location is destroyed, your data shouldn’t be.

Get Involved in Your Community

Connect with neighbouring businesses, participate in local wildfire preparedness programs, and work with your local fire department on damage prevention. Wildfire resilience is a community effort, and businesses that plan together recover faster.

Have a Business Continuity Plan

If you’re ordered to evacuate, where does your business go? A business continuity plan outlines how you’ll keep operating, or safely pause operations, if you’re forced to temporarily relocate. It should cover staff communication, remote work capabilities, key supplier contacts, and access to your financial records.

Additional Resources for Canadian Small Businesses

Before, during, and after a wildfire, these Canadian resources are worth bookmarking:

• Get Prepared: The federal government’s emergency preparedness hub for Canadians

• The Canadian Red Cross: Wildfire information, emergency support, and recovery resources

• Natural Resources Canada: Interactive wildfire map updated regularly

• FireSmart Canada: Property and community risk-reduction tips, plus a real-time wildfire map (operated under the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre)

How Does Business Insurance Protect You From Wildfire Damage?

Running a business without insurance isn’t just risky, it’s a gamble you can’t afford to lose.

Wildfires can wipe out your physical location, destroy your inventory and equipment, and force you to shut down for weeks or months. Without the right coverage, you’re paying for all of that out of pocket – or you’re not recovering at all.

A client of ours, a spa owner in western Canada, was ordered to evacuate during a wildfire. Their commercial property and contents were severely damaged. Because they had a business insurance policy that included business interruption coverage, over $150,000 in losses were covered. They recovered. They reopened.

For wildfire protection, your policy should include:

• Commercial property insurance: Covers physical damage to your building, equipment, and inventory.

• Business interruption insurance: Replaces lost income while you’re unable to operate.

• General liability insurance: Protects against third-party claims that could arise during or after a disaster.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wildfires and Insurance in Canada

Does business insurance cover wildfire damage in Canada?

Yes. A business insurance policy that includes commercial property insurance and business interruption insurance can cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your property, replacing lost equipment and inventory, and compensating for income lost while your business is unable to operate.

When is wildfire season in Canada?

Wildfire season in Canada officially runs from April 1 to October 31, though fires can occur outside that window depending on drought and weather conditions.

What is business interruption insurance?

Business interruption insurance covers lost income if your business is ordered to temporarily close or relocate due to a covered event, such as a wildfire. It’s a critical add-on to any commercial property insurance policy.

Get a Free Insurance Quote and Protect Your Small Business

Wildfire season started April 1. If you don’t have the right coverage in place, now is the time to act. 

Zensurance makes it easy to get affordable, comprehensive business insurance tailored to your industry and budget. Here’s how it works:

1. Fill out our quick online application to get a free quote (it takes 5 minutes or less).
2. Our experienced brokers shop 50+ insurers to find the best coverage for your needs.
3. Get covered before wildfire season hits its peak.

Wildfire season doesn’t wait. Neither should you. Business insurance is a vital component for ensuring your company is ready to withstand events beyond your control.

– Updated April 8, 2026.