There’s no longer a “typical” California wildfire season after last year’s. Historically, wildfire season runs mid-summer through early autumn. The largest and most deadliest California wildfires were recorded last year. The Mendocino Complex Fire was the largest and burned 458,123 acres. The deadliest was the Camp fire which took 86 lives.
California Wine Country Impacted By Fire Damage
California wine country was tragically affected by California wildfires in October of 2017. According to SFGate, 7 fires destroyed 8,889 structures total 94 of which were commercial buildings. If wineries and breweries were lucky enough to keep their main building in tact, they likely lost another building as 894 outbuildings were lost to the fires as well.
Countless dollars of inventory and supplies were gone in minutes. While California wildfires are becoming increasingly unpredictable and dangerous, there are certain steps you can and should take to protect your winery and brewery and minimize damage.
The Impact of Fire Damage on California Businesses
OSHA estimates that fires cost businesses and schools more than 2.3 billion in property damage every year. Regarding the Northern California fires in October 2017, the California Department of Insurance stated that several major insurers said that the total insured losses from these fires topped $3 billion. That’s just the impact on the economy. The impact these fires had on physical and emotional health are impossible to capture in statistics and the scars remain.
While the wildfires were heartbreaking for the entire country, not many felt the immediate affects. Forbes was keen on pointing out that these fires would indeed affect wine lovers across the nation. The fires had a direct impact on the supply of wine and it will continue to affect the taste of wine for the time being. Although, this could work in some winemakers favor as “smoky” is a desirable trait for some types of wine. In the same article, they also provided a list of all the wineries impacted.
As mentioned in our recent blog about the vulnerabilities California wineries face, California produces 81% of the wine in the U.S and is the 4th largest wine producer in the world. These fires were devastating to the wine industry across the globe.
Smoke and Heat Detection Protecting California Businesses From Fire Damage
When it comes to fire damage, early detection is the most important factor for minimizing damage. All California businesses should take the appropriate measures of protecting their property against fire damage by investing in insurance and a fire alarm system.
Unfortunately, fire is one of the most common causes of property damage. Our fire alarm system operates 24/7 and covers
- Smoke and heat detection
- Water flow and sprinkler monitoring
- Temperature monitoring for temperature-sensitive areas such as freezers
- Elevator Recall
- Voice evacuation system
In the event of a wildfire, your first priority should always be ensuring the safety of you and your family. With Sonitrol on your side, you can plan, prep, and relax no matter what comes your way. Click here to read more about our fire alarm system.
Contact us today!