Intact launches wildfire damage protection pilot ahead of elevated-risk season

Intact Financial Corp. says it has launched a pilot program to reduce wildfire damage to customers’ homes in Western Canada as another season of elevated fire risk approaches.

The insurer says it has contracted Wildfire Defense Systems to provide prevention services when a wildfire is less than five kilometres away from the homes of clients across most of British Columbia and Alberta.

The services include a range of actions that such as removing combustible materials from around the property, covering exterior vents and other openings to prevent embers from entering the home, and setting up temporary sprinkler systems.

Intact says the pilot program will come at no additional cost to eligible customers for this year’s wildfire season, but did not say what it may cost in future years.

Last year saw the most destructive wildfire season ever recorded in Canada with over 18.4 million hectares torched after fires burned everywhere from the West Coast to the Atlantic provinces.

The federal government says there’s risk of another catastrophic fire season as climate change and El Niño have helped create widespread drought conditions and expectations for higher-than-normal temperatures.