Restaurant Preparedness Starts Long Before a Wildfire

After a wildfire, one of the first signs that a community is beginning to recover is when local restaurants reopen. They feed first responders working long shifts, support contractors restoring damaged neighborhoods, provide a place for residents to gather, and help local businesses get back on their feet. Their ability to reopen quickly has an impact that extends well beyond the dining room.

Wildfires are unpredictable, but preparing for them doesn’t have to be complicated. Most losses occur because small vulnerabilities went unnoticed before the fire ever started. Taking the time to inspect the property, address those vulnerabilities, and develop a plan for operational disruptions can significantly improve a restaurant’s ability to recover.

Conduct Regular Inspections

The best place to start is with a walk around the property. Regular inspections are one of the simplest and most effective ways to identify wildfire hazards. Look at the building the way an ember storm would. Where can embers collect? What combustible materials are stored against the building? Are there maintenance issues that have been overlooked? Once vulnerabilities are identified, they can usually be corrected with routine maintenance rather than costly improvements.

Research from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has shown that the first five feet surrounding a building is one of the most important areas to protect. This area is where many building ignitions occur.

During wildfire, wind-blown embers can travel long distances ahead of the main fire and are the leading cause of ignition. They continue traveling until they encounter something that stops them, such as landscaping, patio furniture, trash containers, vehicles, or the building itself. Embers can accumulate against a combustible item, causing it to ignite. 

Create a Noncombustible Zone

That’s why creating a noncombustible zone within the first five feet of the building is so important. Create a five-foot noncombustible zone around the building by replacing mulch, pine straw, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and other vegetation with materials such as decorative stone, crushed granite, concrete, or pavers. Use noncombustible containers for potted plants near entrances whenever possible and move planters away from the building during Red Flag Warning conditions if practical.

The same approach applies to items stored outside. Combustible patio furniture, cushions, trash containers, cardboard, pallets, grease receptacles, linen bags, combustible storage, and flammable liquids should be kept away from the building whenever possible. Restaurants that use wood-fired cooking equipment should store firewood at least 10 feet from the structure, and propane cylinders should be located away from the building in accordance with applicable fire codes. These are common ignition sources during ember storms and are easy to address before wildfire season begins.

Embers don’t have to land outside the building to cause damage. They can also enter through vents, eaves, foundation openings, and other gaps in the building envelope. Once inside, they can ignite combustible materials that aren’t visible from the exterior.

Restaurant operators should inspect these potential ember pathways and reduce them wherever possible. Installing 1/8-inch metal mesh over vents is one proven method of limiting ember intrusion. A simple rule of thumb is that if a standard golf tee fits through an opening, an ember can fit through it as well. Kitchen exhaust systems should also be evaluated to ensure spark arrestors are installed and properly maintained where appropriate.

Inspect the Roof

The roof deserves just as much attention. It is one of the largest surfaces exposed to an ember storm and one of the most common places for combustible debris to accumulate. Leaves, pine needles, and trash often collect around HVAC equipment, exhaust fans, roof edges, valleys, parapets, and drainage systems. Left unchecked, those areas can become ignition points during a wildfire.

Routine roof inspections should focus on removing debris, maintaining drainage, and identifying damaged roofing materials before they become larger problems. When replacement is necessary, installing a Class A fire-rated roof provides the highest level of fire resistance currently recognized by building codes.

Wildfire preparedness extends beyond the building itself. Trees should be pruned so branches do not overhang the roof, and tree canopies should be separated to reduce the potential for fire to spread. Shrubs beneath trees should be removed to eliminate ladder fuels, while grass, brush, and dead vegetation should be routinely maintained. These maintenance activities reduce available fuel around the property and lower the likelihood of fire reaching the building.

Prepare for Business Disruptions

Preparing the property is only half of the equation. Restaurant operators also need to prepare for the business disruptions that often follow a wildfire.

A restaurant doesn’t have to burn to experience significant financial loss. Roads may be closed, utilities may be interrupted, suppliers may be unable to make deliveries, employees may be displaced, and customers may stay away long after the fire is out. Restaurants located in vacation destinations or resort communities may see revenue decline simply because tourism slows during recovery.

Planning for these disruptions before they occur can make a significant difference. Identify alternate suppliers, understand critical dependencies, review business interruption insurance, and maintain a current business continuity plan. Just as important, exercise that plan. Tabletop exercises help identify gaps, clarify responsibilities, and build the muscle memory needed to respond effectively under stressful circumstances.

Preparedness isn’t about eliminating risk. It’s about reducing the number of challenges you’ll have to solve when a wildfire occurs. Restaurants that invest time in routine maintenance, reduce vulnerabilities around the property, and prepare for operational disruptions are better positioned to reopen sooner. When they do, they don’t just support their own recovery, they help their entire community recover as well.

To learn more about preparing your restaurant for wildfires and other natural hazards, review the IBHS Business Ready Guides at IBHS.org.