Insurer contracts private crews to protect homes from northern Sask. wildfires

WATCH: A Saskatchewan-based insurance company is hiring tactical fire teams to help protect properties in the path of the province's wildfires.

SGI Canada is bringing in private tactical wildfire teams to help protect properties in northern Saskatchewan.

Last week, Cindy Botrell had to leave her home on a moment’s notice as wildfires got closer to the Village of Beauval.

“It was like panic mode right away,” Botrell told CTV News on Monday.

Wildfire Defense Systems (WDS), a private firm, said that when people are evacuating, last-minute fire prevention isn’t top of mind — and that’s where its crews step in. WDS is hired by insurance companies to protect insured properties in areas threatened by wildfires.

Scott Eskwitt, a spokesperson for WDS, said crews move combustibles away from homes, clean out gutters and tape up openings. He said most wildfire-damaged structures burn from the inside out because embers get into the structure and ignite it.

“We work very hard to seal up the house to make sure that there is no place for an ember to get in,” Eskwitt said in an interview with CTV News.

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He said crews step away once their fire prevention efforts are complete. After the fire moves through, they return to check on properties and put out hot spots. Eskwitt said the company has a 99 per cent survival rate for properties it responds to.

He stressed it’s important for all homeowners to make their properties fire safe.

“There’s so much that a homeowner can do, and a community can do, before we get there. And if they’ve taken those actions, it makes our job easier. It also helps increase the chances of the home surviving,” he said.

SGI Canada recently began contracting WDS.

“There is no additional cost to SGI Canada customers for this service. It is included as an added layer of protection with their current coverage,” said Heather Hubic, an SGI spokesperson.

SGI Canada said so far this year, there have been 600 to 700 wildfire-related claims involving evacuations, total losses and smoke damage. It said it’s too early to tell how this wildfire season will affect insurance rates.

As for Botrell, she continues to watch and worry for her community.

“We hope the fires don’t get closer,” she said.