I’ve looked into moving somewhere affordable, but it seems to be an area prone to wildfires and was evacuated for such recently.

What happens during an evacuation? Where do you go? Who covers the cost it’s a hotel or something, or do people find their own accommodations? What kind of damage can you expect from smoke when you return home if it is still standing? Anything else unexpected that comes from this?

Thanks

  • @TrippyFocus@lemmy.ml
    5•9 months ago

    I live very close to areas that have been evacuated but haven’t had it happen to me personally so don’t have direct experience but this is how I’ve heard it plays out at least here in the US:

    Evacuation: The local government handles the initial warnings and later directing people out of the area once it gets bad enough. There may or may not be shelters setup as well.

    Where to go: That is possibly completely on you to cover, ideally you have family close you could live with but otherwise will have to figure out housing and pay for. Shelters may be setup depending on your area but may not be the best experience since you won’t have the most privacy or comfort. I have heard stories of people just having to live in their car for awhile due to their house being destroyed while waiting for insurance payouts. I would think some insurance policies would offer reimbursement for the funds once the claim goes through but you will likely want to have an emergency fund for the immediate needs.

    Damage: Fire damage insurance is available that would either cover the cost to rebuild or pay you out. No idea on the specifics or if this applies to Canada. If it hits a large area it typically takes awhile to 1. Get paid from insurance 2. Find available construction companies to rebuild since a lot of people will need them all at the same time. I know for awhile there were donation drives to help the affected families find and pay for hotels, etc. even months after the fires. I would guess that as climate change makes these more frequent rates will likely go up or you’ll start to see insurance companies not offer it in certain areas.

    Again this is all stuff I’ve heard second hand and didn’t get a lot of details and may not apply at your area, I’d recommend researching how it works in your area for sure.