Fire protects your property when it starts outside

This article is part of a series sponsored by IAT Insurance Group.

In early 2025, a 30,000-square-foot steel warehouse was destroyed by a fire and was considered to be the entire loss.

Located in the southwest, the building is well maintained and comes with a working automatic sprinkler system. The fire was open and dry brushed outside the building, fueled by wind and unusually dry winters. The flames quickly spread in the open space, igniting wooden crates stored outside the warehouse and quickly engulfing the buildings and contents. The fire sprinkler was flooded and the extreme heat caused the roof to collapse.

As dry conditions, temperature and high winds become more common, and these situations become more common. Now, nearly one-third of all consecutive housing units in the United States are located in the Wild World-City Interface area, and commercial development follows a similar pattern.[1] Wildfires in these areas have destroyed more than 4,500 buildings, including 80 commercial or mixed-use buildings in 2024 alone.[2] In many fire prevention programs, this situation also reveals a key gap: the internal system is just a layer of defense, usually the last layer.

Whether you are storing goods, housing vehicles, or managing a warehouse, external threats can determine whether your property survives. Here are the key lessons for this loss, practical steps building owners can take to minimize fire risk in external exposure.

The most common external fire hazards

To protect commercial properties in today’s fire-prone environment, building owners must shift their focus from containment to prevention. This means reducing fuel sources, creating defensible spaces and addressing risks that exist outside the structure itself.

Common external fire hazards include:

• Dry vegetation such as brushes, weeds and tall grass
• The strong wind will face the building and the surrounding fire
• Combustible storage such as wooden pallets, crates, cardboard and plastic trash bins
• Nearby properties or infrastructure that may introduce unexpected fire risks, such as rail lines, utility lines and transformers

It is also important to recognize that steel buildings (often considered more fire-resistant) are not immune to structural failures. Under extremely high heat, steel loses strength and can bend or collapse. Regardless of the type of structure, it is necessary to be aware of the dangers that may not be ignored but often add fuel to fires.

5-point list to reduce external fire risk

Here are five best practices that can help minimize external fire exposure and enhance property resilience:

1. Eliminate combustible outdoor storage

• Avoid storing flammable materials near buildings, such as wooden boxes or plastic containers.
• Keep overhanged, loading docks and cover covered walkways without combustible materials. Pallets or devices stored in these semi-enclosed areas can allow fire to bypass your internal protection system.
• If you are inevitably stored outdoors, keep it away from the structure and keep it clear.

2. Keep defendable perimeter

• Remove brushes, tall grass, weeds and debris regularly.
• Keep the greenery pruned and well maintained near buildings, docks and fence lines.

3. Pay attention to parking layout

• Do not park trucks, trailers, or fleet vehicles directly on your building for overnight stays.
• Create designated parking areas with safe distances to minimize fire risk between vehicles and structures.

4. Update detection and alarm systems

• Make sure to install all fire detection and alarm systems, test regularly and extend the code.
• Although these systems cannot prevent external fires, they can provide critical early detection and warnings.

5. Beyond your property line

• Monitor nearby properties that may affect your business with unpruned vegetation, garbage, or hazardous storage.
• Where possible, coordinate with adjacent owners to address common risks and preventive efforts.

Insurance can help cover the financial impact of losses, but proactive prevention is the best protection. By recognizing and addressing external fire risks before reaching your building, business owners can reduce risks, protect operations and enhance long-term resilience.

Ask for loss control representatives

Have questions about how to mitigate risks? Email losecontroldirect@iatinsurance.com to have the opportunity to view and answer your questions in a future blog.

[1] USDA “Understanding the Wilderness – Urban Interface (1990-2020)”, September 20, 2023.

[2] National Center for Inter-Agency Coordination “2024 Wildland Fire Summary and Statistical Annual Report”, 2024.

theme
property