---
title: "Wildfire readiness for California cannabis businesses | CARMA"
description: "A pre-loss checklist for people, licensed inventory, property values, business interruption, records, emergency movement, and insurance notice."
canonical: "https://www.carma365.com/insights/california-cannabis-wildfire-readiness/"
---

disaster readiness guide

# Wildfire readiness for California cannabis businesses

A pre-loss checklist for people, licensed inventory, property values, business interruption, records, emergency movement, and insurance notice.

By [Zimraan Shikari](/experts/zimraan-shikari/) [LinkedIn ↗](https://www.linkedin.com/in/zimraan-shikari-780507209/)

Reading time 2 min read Sources checked August 11, 2026 Carma Insurance LLC [Business entity NPN 21134854](/licensing-disclosures/) [How we publish guidance](/editorial-standards/)

Account brief

## What to know

**Prepare before an evacuation warning**

Life safety comes first.

**Document the exposure**

Buildings, tenant improvements, equipment, stock, plants, work in process, and finished goods

**Licensed product movement needs its own plan**

California's Department of Cannabis Control publishes disaster-relief procedures, including specific steps for product moved during an immediate threat.

[Prepare a wildfire-exposed account](https://broker-forms-sandbox.pages.dev/application)
On this page 5 sections

## Prepare before an evacuation warning

The business continuity plan should also identify who can make decisions, where current records are stored, how employees and vendors are contacted, and which regulator, broker, carrier, landlord, lender, or customer notices may be needed.

## Document the exposure

- Buildings, tenant improvements, equipment, stock, plants, work in process, and finished goods

- Average and peak values by location with the valuation basis and supporting records

- Utilities, HVAC, irrigation, alarms, security, access, and critical equipment dependencies

- Alternate suppliers, storage, production, testing, transportation, and customer options

- Expected cleanup, repair, replacement, replanting, relicensing, and restart constraints

- Policy contacts, notice instructions, deductibles, limits, sublimits, safeguards, and exclusions

## Licensed product movement needs its own plan

Businesses should follow the current DCC instructions and emergency orders, not rely on a general insurance article for permission or timing.

## Make the loss record usable away from the property

Store the contact list, current property and inventory schedules, policy instructions, and critical operating records where authorized decision makers can reach them if the location is closed. Assign responsibility for updating each item and record when the copy was last checked.

After an event, keep a dated log of official instructions, emergency decisions, movement of licensed product, temporary operations, mitigation work, expenses, and communications. That record helps the business, broker, carrier, regulator, and advisers work from the same sequence of facts.

- Confirm who can access off-site records and policy notice instructions

- Separate average values from seasonal or operational peaks

- Document alternate suppliers, laboratories, storage, and production options

- Preserve invoices, photographs, inventory records, and decision logs

## Sources

Use controlling primary sources for legal or regulatory status. Reported context is attributed separately and should not replace the operative document.

- [California Department of Cannabis Control: Disaster relief programs ↗](https://www.cannabis.ca.gov/licensees/disaster-relief-programs/)

Important insurance and legal information
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Only an issued policy and its endorsements can provide coverage, and their actual terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions control. Sending information, following a link, or speaking with CARMA does not bind coverage, change a policy, or create authority to act for an insurer unless an authorized party confirms that authority in writing.

Do not rely on this website to report a claim, request a policy change, satisfy a notice requirement, or meet a deadline. Use the instructions in the applicable policy or written communication. Laws, licensing, appetite, carrier participation, and external sources can change, so confirm time-sensitive matters with CARMA, the controlling source, and qualified advisers.

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