A Nonprofit Guide to Preparing for Wildfires
Close-up view of wildfire flames burning dry forest floor debris, highlighting the intensity and destructive power of uncontrolled wildfires.
The recent fires in the Los Angeles area were terrifying and devastating. As communities begin to recover, they serve as a sobering reminder: wildfires are becoming more common, and they're striking in places where we didn’t used to see them.
If your nonprofit has offices, facilities, or operations in or near wildfire-prone areas, now is the time to plan ahead. Preparation can be the difference between total disruption and resilience when disaster strikes.
Here are a few steps you can take now to be ready before the next natural disaster comes your way:
Develop an evacuation plan. Every organization should already have emergency procedures in place to handle evacuations, but wildfires can emerge quickly and be unpredictable in where and how they spread. Decide now which local authorities you will look to for information, who is authorized to call for an evacuation, and how you will alert your employees and stay in touch if regular communications systems are jammed or down.
Protect your stuff. If your office building is in a wildfire zone, invest in robust fire suppression systems, fireproof building materials, and firesafe landscaping practices. If you have any important or priceless items that an insurance claim couldn't really replace (like artwork, paper records, IT servers, bespoke equipment) have a plan to move it to a safe location offsite and/or store it inside of an enclosed storage area that is either below ground or built with non-flammable walls/ceilings, to increase the chances it will survive fire, smoke, or water damage. If you think you might lose power before or during a wildfire, and electricity is essential to your ongoing operations, invest in a generator.
Review your insurance coverage. Be sure you have sufficient coverage for both the structure and the contents of your offices, as well as business interruption insurance to cover losses if you have to close or cannot work during or after a wildfire. Also, many commercial property policies have exclusions or limits for buildings in wildfire zones. Understand those limits and invest in umbrella coverages that can ensure you have the resources you will need to get back to serving the causes and people you care about after the fire dies down.
These steps are smart, practical measures that apply to a wide range of natural disasters that your nonprofit may face in the coming years. Taking time to engage in thoughtful disaster planning builds resilience, strengthens operations, and will help give you, as a nonprofit leader, peace of mind. Risk management is a nonnegotiable that every nonprofit should prioritize to stay mission-ready, no matter what comes your way.
