With June’s unseasonably cool weather now behind us, and temperatures across the province beginning to soar, the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) advises homeowners, especially those in or around heavily forested areas, to safeguard themselves against summer wildfires.
As one of the largest providers of home insurance in the province, BCAA Insurance handled hundreds of wild-fire related insurance claims during some of B.C.’s most destructive wildfires in 2003. BCAA also witnessed the overwhelming effects of forest fires on communities while providing assistance to homeowners during wildfire evacuations in 2009.
“We saw first hand the devastation many of our policyholders faced and learned more about what can make a home vulnerable to damage caused by a wildfire,” says BCAA’s Home Insurance Product Manager, Brooke Moss. “That’s why we encourage homeowners to take the time to practice good fire prevention measures before summer temperatures rise to potentially dangerous levels.”
Whether you’re building or remodelling your home now or in the future, “firesmart” your house and consider building with safer materials that have a better chance of withstanding fire embers. If you’re planning a new roof, consider using non-combustible roofing material such as slate, metal, clay or tile—your insurance company may award a premium discount for non-combustible roofing.
To learn more about how you can protect your home and property against a forest fire, download our guide to enhance safety around your house.
The British Columbia Automobile Association is an affiliate of the
Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and
American Automobile Association (AAA), serving members in British Columbia and the Yukon.
