Kelowna News

To date, more wildfires have burned in the Kamloops Fire District this year than for the same period in the summer of 2003.

With the height of summer still in front of us, the chief underwriter for Canadian Direct Insurance is concerned people living within interface areas are not adequately protecting themselves.

Karen Hopkins-Lee says there are five things people who live near heavily forested areas need to do, including:

• Remove fuel sources from around your property
  
• Use fire-resistant roofing materials
  
• Use fire-resistant siding materials
  
• Update your insurance policy after home renovations to reflect the true value of your home
  
• Schedule an appointment with your broker to review the safety of your home and home insurance options.

During the Kelowna Firestorm of 2003, Hopkins-Lee says more than 330 homes were destroyed at a value of about $700 million.

"From our perspective, this is a good time to remind policy holders of the risk that is facing them and to make sure they do have proper coverage," says Hopkins-Lee.

"There are so many ways a homeowner can take action now before there is an actual threat."

Hopkins-Lee says many people in high risk areas seem to have slipped back into old patterns.

"For us, 2003 wasn't a long time ago but for some people, you start to forget it was only six years ago. You will see beautifully manicured properties, but they will have shrubbery by the home, or the approach when replacing a roof is to not go with a fire-resistant material."

She says people seem to be looking short term instead of trying to mitigate future risk.

"They're looking at aesthetics instead."