About the wildfire protection service
The wildfire protection service provides added protection and peace of mind to eligible customers in British Columbia and Alberta when it is needed most.
Please note this service is not an insurance coverage included under your policy. It is a standalone service provided to you at no additional cost, and we reserve the right to modify or terminate the service at any time without notice.
If your property* is threatened by an active wildfire, a third-party service provider† may deploy loss prevention and suppression services to decrease the likelihood of damage or loss due to wildfire. This may include but is not limited to:
Removing materials from around your property that may fuel a fire, including firewood, propane tanks, furniture, grass clippings, etc.
Covering exterior vents and closing exterior doors, windows and garage doors to prevent embers from entering the home and igniting the interior. This is important because most structure loss comes from ember, or spark, lighting flammable material near a property.
Setting up temporary sprinkler systems to increase humidity and lower temperature.
Preventing wildfire from reaching properties by strategically digging a handline or placing retardants to create fuel breaks.
In rare situations, a fire-blocking gel or fire-retardant may be applied to your home and surrounding landscaping where permitted.
Once the threat of wildfire is gone, our service provider will make every effort to return to your property to place items back in their original location and remove any tape, fire-blocking gel or fire-retardant barrier that was applied to the house.
Please note that our service provider is
not
a first responder service and is supplemental to all other public wildfire responders.
They will work with local authorities in your area to safely access your property, however as wildfires are unpredictable
there is no guarantee that your home will be serviced in the event it is threatened by an active wildfire.
The service may be deployed when customer properties are at increased risk of wildfire activity. If a wildfire is threatening a customer’s home, or an evacuation order is in place, our service provider will make every effort to attend to homes. There is no guarantee that they will be able to provide service to all properties and structures in the area.
belairdirect fully covers the fees and no costs will be passed on to the customers.
No, this is a complimentary service and will not affect your premium at renewal. It is not factored into premium calculations as this is not an insurance coverage.
We’re offering this service to residential policy holders with homeowners (primary and secondary), seasonal and rented dwelling policies listed on your active insurance policy located in British Columbia (excluding Vancouver Island and other ferry access locations) and Alberta. Condominiums, tenants and mobile homes are excluded.
If you have more than one location insured with belairdirect, please check your coverage summary in your insurance policy documents to confirm the eligibility of your properties.
Our service provider will make every reasonable effort to help protect your home from wildfire. However, as wildfires are unpredictable there is no guarantee that your home will be serviced in the event it is threatened by an active wildfire, or that the work completed will save your home from wildfire damage.
Our service provider is Wildfire Defense Systems (WDS)
https://www.wildfire-defense.com, a Qualified Insurance Resource (QIR) and the largest provider of wildfire loss intervention services to insured properties in North America. WDS has been providing wildfire protection services to insurance companies and their policyholders since 2008 in the U.S. and since 2024 in Canada.
Their Emergency Coordination Centre monitors wildfire threats to customer properties and dispatches field personnel and wildland engines and tenders to threatened properties. These field personnel are trained to National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards and the engines and tenders they operate are built and maintained to NWCG specifications.
Their extensive expertise, proven track record in wildfire loss prevention, and the scalability required to handle multiple simultaneous wildfires are some of the reasons why.
Our partnership with WDS builds on a successful pilot during the 2024 wildfire season, where they were able to quickly mobilize and support our customers in six unique situations, working in close collaboration with local authorities who shared positive feedback about their interactions, professionalism, and support.
WDS is our service provider for the 2025 wildfire season. We invite you to visit this FAQ page regularly for updates on our wildfire protection service and service provider.
Consult this
tipsheet‡ for a summary of some actions you can take to help protect your home. These actionable steps were developed in collaboration with the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation and FireSmart Canada.
Yes. Opting out does not affect your property insurance coverage. This service is an additional layer of protection, but it is not mandatory.
The wildfire protection service is available to only our eligible customers in Alberta and British Columbia right now. We’ll continue to share updates should the offering expand in the future.
No, due to the unpredictable nature of wildfires. However, if our service provider’s personnel arrive while you’re home, they will attempt to notify you before beginning work. If you’re not home, they will make every effort to leave a door hanger with service details.
They will access your property if no gates or barriers are present. If the property is locked or inaccessible, service will not be performed.
In most cases, combustible items are moved away from your home, but items remain on your property. If something is missing, please contact us at
1-833-316-3824.
Our service provider will make every effort to leave a notice in the form of a door hanger at your property if they have completed any services. If you are unsure of service having been provided, please contact us at 1-833-316-3824.
If our service provider unintentionally damages your property, we will cover repair costs. This will not impact your policy and/or premium. You can submit a claim online via the belairdirect App, Client Centre or by calling 1-877-228-2656. We are available to help 24/7.
No, this service is specifically for wildfires.
In rare situations, a fire-blocking gel or fire-retardant barrier may be applied to your home and surrounding landscaping where permitted. For more information about these products, please visit our service provider’s website:
https://www.wildfire-defense.com/questions
When permitted by authorities, our service provider will return to remove these materials after the wildfire threat has passed. However, based on weather conditions and availability, there may be some instances where this is completed after you return home.
If they haven’t returned to your property to clean up and remove the fire blocking gel or fire-retardant barrier that have been applied, please contact us at 1-833-316-3824.
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