Cleaning up after a party is tough enough. Cleaning up after a fire is so much worse, even for the fire cleanup and response companies who specialize in this service. And their jobs are getting harder, thanks to a number of trends affecting this sector. Here’s a rundown of what these companies are up against, and what they are doing to deal with it.

Extreme Weather = More Fires 

When conditions of drought, heat, and high winds spark wildfires, they don’t just burn trees: They damage/destroy both commercial and residential buildings. According to the National Interagency Coordination Center’s Wildland Fire Summary and Statistics Annual Report 2023, a total of 4,318 structures were reported destroyed by wildfires in 2023, including 3,060 residences, 1,228 minor structures and 51 commercial/mixed residential structures. In 2023, the majority of structures were destroyed in the Northern California Geographic Area, including the 2,308 residences destroyed in Maui. 

NICC’s data only covers the United States. In Canada, two wildfires in British Columbia’s southern interior caused more than $720 million in insured losses last year, making them the most costly insured extreme weather event the province has ever seen, reported CBC.ca. And this was just in British Columbia. 

“With the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as storms, floods, and wildfires, there is a growing demand for disaster response and cleanup services,” says Joe Shaath, owner and general manager at Servpro of Ottawa Vanier; a Canadian company that provides comprehensive fire cleanup and response services to commercial, government, and other clients. “We’ve noticed a surge in demand for our services due to the rise in extreme weather events. To accommodate this increased demand, we have expanded our team and invested in additional equipment to ensure prompt and efficient response to our clients’ needs.”

Solving problems

With their mix of burning, smoke and water damage — the last one potentially resulting in mold if the cleanup is not done quickly — fire scenes are a daunting and dangerous environment to work in. As a result, “there’s been a shift in the industry towards the use of advanced equipment and technology for more efficient and effective cleanup and restoration processes,” says Shaath. “This is why Servpro Ottawa Vanier has invested in cutting-edge equipment such as advanced drying equipment, air scrubbers, moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to stay competitive in the market.” Legends Restoration Equipment is one of Servpro’s key suppliers. They make Dri-Eaz refrigerant dehumidifiers and portable air scrubbers, plus Drymatic Boost Air Movers.

Skilled help needed 

The advanced equipment being increasingly employed by the fire cleanup and response services sector requires appropriately educated operators. “Given the complexity of modern disaster response and cleanup tasks, there’s a growing need for a skilled and trained workforce,” says Shaath. “This is why Servpro Ottawa Vanier must focus on recruiting and retaining talented technicians with expertise in various aspects of disaster restoration. We also prioritize ongoing training and development programs for our technicians to ensure they have the expertise to handle any situation they encounter.”

Not just a buzzword 

According to the Pew Research Center, 67% of Americans say large businesses and corporations are doing too little to reduce climate change effects. This is why sustainability has become more than a buzzword across the entire business spectrum, including fire cleanup and response. This trend is motivating them to adopt more environmentally friendly products and practices. But that’s just the beginning. At Expeditors Fire Support, a company that provides base camp logistics and support for fire personnel during wildfire suppression, sustainability is even affecting how they equip their portable base camp buildings. 

“A lot of that is coming down to integration of solar power, battery banks and modules, charging and even changing the types of structures to make them more sustainable in their heating and cooling,” says Curtis Heyne, operations director with Expeditors Fire Support. “It’s looking at more hard-sided structures versus soft-sided structures, because hard-sided structures are commercially insulated and thus more efficient when it comes to heating and cooling. We’re also looking at ways to reduce water consumption. And that’s changing fixtures out. And a lot of the things that are maybe more typical in commercial construction are making their way into disaster response and support. It’s a fairly large seismic shift that is happening.”

Regulatory compliance

The last major trend that is affecting the fire cleanup and response sector is regulatory compliance. Learning about and adhering to the growing number of rules being implemented by the government is vital for protecting companies in this sector from legal action, fines and other damages. This is why the professionals at Servpro Ottawa Vanier “remain vigilant about staying compliant with environmental regulations and industry standards,” Shaath says. “Our team regularly undergoes training to stay updated on the latest regulations, and we ensure that our services adhere to all relevant standards to protect both our clients and the environment.”