By Jewelers Mutual® Group
Wildfires are an increasing threat across many regions of the U.S. and Canada, particularly as temperatures rise and drought conditions persist. For jewelry businesses, the risks extend beyond flames to potential smoke damage, power outages, evacuation orders, transportation disruptions, and extended closures can all significantly impact operations.
While you can’t predict if or when a wildfire will threaten your business, you can prepare. Proactive planning helps protect your people, your inventory, and your ability to recover quickly. Most importantly, remember this guiding principle: the safety of you and your staff always comes first.
If you operate in a wildfire‑prone area, use these five tips to strengthen your disaster plan and ensure your business is ready before conditions escalate.
How to Prepare Your Jewelry Business for Wildfires
1. Keep the Right Emergency Equipment on Hand
Your location and surroundings will determine your level of wildfire risk, but every jewelry business should maintain a basic set of emergency supplies year‑round. These items help protect employees and reduce confusion if conditions deteriorate quickly.
Recommended supplies include:
- Battery‑powered or hand‑crank radio (with extra batteries)
- Flashlights or headlamps
- First‑aid kit
- N95 or equivalent masks to reduce smoke inhalation
- Extra secure storage for items normally displayed outside a safe or vault
Having these items readily available allows your team to respond quickly and calmly if smoke, power outages, or evacuation orders occur.
2. Protect Financial Records and Business Data
In many disasters, data loss can be more damaging than physical loss. Inventory records, customer information, tax documents, alarm logs, and camera footage are critical to recovery and difficult or impossible to recreate if they aren’t backed up properly.
Best practices include:
- Backing up critical data to secure cloud storage
- Maintaining password‑protected digital copies of essential documents
- Keeping hard‑copy records in fire‑rated, waterproof safes
- Powering down non‑critical systems if a wildfire threatens the area
Quick access to accurate records helps streamline insurance claims and accelerates the recovery process once it’s safe to reopen.
3. Establish and Practice an Evacuation Plan
Wildfires can move quickly, and evacuation orders may come with little notice. Every jewelry business should have a clear, practiced evacuation plan that prioritizes life safety over property protection.
Your plan should include:
- Primary and alternate evacuation routes
- Designated meeting points for employees
- Regular drills so staff know what to do without hesitation
- Awareness of local shelter locations and emergency resources
If time allows and conditions are safe, consider relocating merchandise to a secure vault or approved off‑site storage facility before an evacuation order is issued. Specialized jewelry transport providers can assist with safe, insured movement of inventory when advance notice is available.
Never remain behind to protect the store once evacuation orders are issued.
4. Create a Clear Communication Plan
Clear communication reduces confusion and stress before, during, and after a wildfire.
Start with your employees:
- Keep contact information up to date
- Assign one person to manage internal communications
- Establish expectations for how updates will be shared
Next, identify external stakeholders who may be needed during recovery, including:
Your insurance agent and insurance provider
- Restoration contractors
- Security vendors
- Key suppliers and business partners
Designating a point person to coordinate these communications helps ensure accurate messaging and prevents conflicting information during a high‑stress event.
5. Review Your Insurance Coverage Before Wildfire Season
Insurance should never be an afterthought. Some business owners discover coverage gaps only after a loss has occurred, leading to unexpected out‑of‑pocket expenses and delays in recovery.
Ask yourself:
- Are my inventory values current and accurate?
- Is my building and business personal property valued correctly?
- Could I be liable for damage to neighboring properties?
- Am I covered for lost income during a wildfire‑related closure?
Working with an agent who specializes in jewelers’ block insurance can help ensure your coverage reflects the real risks your business faces.
Stay Prepared Year‑Round
Wildfire preparedness isn’t a one‑time task. Regularly reviewing your disaster plan, updating contact lists, maintaining defensible space around your building, and practicing evacuation procedures all contribute to safer outcomes when conditions worsen.
Preparation won’t stop a wildfire, but it can make the difference between chaos and a controlled, confident response.