Wildfire Loss Resources

Thank you for considering Buffalo Restoration in this time of need. We are sorry for the loss you have experienced, and we are here to help. If you are in need of our services, please give our office a call as soon as possible. We want to begin the intake process and are able to start helping you before we arrive on-site, even if the authorities have not released the area at that time.

Things to Consider

• Call the Help Center at 211 to determine if the local authorities have released the area
• Contact your insurance company to begin the claims process
• Contact Buffalo Restoration with your information

Questions We May Ask You

• Have the incident commanders and local authorities released the area?
• Have you returned to your property to assess the extent of the damage?
• Are you needing our board-up service to help prevent further damage?
• Was your home or structure directly burned by the wildfire or indirectly affected by fire, such as soot deposits or smoke damage?
• Was flame retardant applied to your home?
• Do you currently have power and water at your home?

Expectations from Buffalo Restoration

Your property will be initially assessed to determine the extent of damages and for the following services that may need to be scheduled:

• Emergency board-up, corrosion mitigation, cleaning, deodorization, structure repairs, and contents cleaning. If there is a need for board-up and/or corrosion mitigation, we will request the following from you:
  • Sign an emergency work authorization and a $500 deposit (applied to your final bill) or your insurance policy deductible. Please note we do not provide bids for the initial emergency services or cleaning. We will bill you and the insurance company directly upon completion of this phase of the project. We will work through any changes with your insurance adjuster.

The repair phase of the restoration process:

• Structural repairs will be estimated upon completion of the cleaning and demolition phase. At that time, our estimators will provide an itemization of those necessary repairs to present to your insurance company. We will work to reach an agreed cost of repairs with your insurance company prior to contracting and starting the repair phase of the restoration.

Structure Damage Considerations

• Be aware of potential hazards associated with home fires:
  • Collapsing walls or ceilings, exposed electrical wires, damaged roads, reignition of the fire, landslides, toxic breathing environment
• Soot from the wildfire can be pushed into structures, depositing into attics and wall cavities, causing corrosion. Some of the soot that settles in the home can cause secondary corrosion to things like faucets, hinges, any metal fixtures, firearms, and appliances.
• If the wildfire has caused extensive damage, leaving the interior of your home exposed to the outdoor elements, we can help prevent additional damage by boarding up the home.
• Power outages from the wildfire can cause secondary damage to your home. Secondary damages can include rotting odors from a freezer or refrigerator or dewatering sump pump systems.

Personal Property Considerations

• Identify the priority levels of your content items that are of high sentimental or monetary value. These items could be:
  • Family heirlooms, firearms, or jewelry
• Identify items that you consider essential in your day-to-day life. These items could be:
  • Clothing and work-related materials
• The following items are considered non-transportable by Buffalo Restoration:
  • Combustible liquids, explosives, corrosive liquids, consumables, flammables, firearms, over-the-counter medications, live plants, etc.

Additional Community Resources

• SWMT COAD and ECCC post out of school child care opportunities via a website monitored by CCC: outofschoolmt.org

  Postings are based on the information provided by the agency or program offering out-of-school time care.

• cccmontana.org Child Care Connections advocates for the well-being and quality care of children by supporting early childhood professionals, families, and the communities we serve. Child Care Connections helps families find available childcare programs and apply for financial assistance.
• Love INC, loveincgc.org as a resource. We are also the point of contact for clothing. We will receive clothing and give it to those in need.