How Forest Fires and Droughts Threaten Kawartha Businesses—And How Your IT Partner Can Help

As Kawartha faces the dual threat of forest fires and drought, local businesses are grappling with more than just environmental concerns. These natural disasters can disrupt power supply and digital infrastructure. If you're a business owner in the region, it's time to think beyond sandbags and sprinklers—your tech setup might need just as much protection. 

It might be time to update your disaster preparedness plan and be prepare to shut down job sites, work remotely and be able to restore back-ups quickly.

Power Disruptions: More Than Just a Flicker

Forest fires can damage hydro poles and transformers, while droughts strain the grid due to increased demand. Together, they create a perfect storm for power outages and brownouts. For businesses, this means:

• Interrupted operations and lost revenue
• Damaged equipment from power surges
• Reduced productivity, especially for remote teams

Technology Under Fire

When the power goes, so does connectivity. Fires can destroy fiber-optic lines and cell towers, while heatwaves stress data centers and local servers. The result?

• Spotty internet and phone service
• Inaccessible cloud platforms or internal databases
• Delays in customer service and order fulfillment

Why You Need a Disaster Preparedness & Recovery Plan

Natural disasters don’t just threaten buildings—they threaten business continuity. A well-crafted plan helps you stay operational, protect your data, and recover quickly. Here’s what it should include:

Core Components:

• Risk Assessment: Identify threats like wildfires, drought, and outages
• Business Impact Analysis: Prioritize essential services and estimate potential losses
• Emergency Response Procedures: Evacuation plans, contact lists, and communication protocols
• Backup Location & Continuity: Remote work options, cloud access, and critical equipment inventory
• IT Disaster Recovery: Data backups, cybersecurity, recovery time objectives (RTO), and testing
• Communication Strategy: Internal updates and customer messaging
• Training & Drills: Staff preparedness and system recovery simulations

How an IT Partner Can Help

An experienced IT partner is your lifeline when disaster strikes. They can:

• Audit your infrastructure and identify vulnerabilities
• Implement automated backup and failover systems
• Monitor systems for threats and performance issues
• Provide remote support during emergencies
• Help build a scalable, cloud-based business continuity plan

Ready to Future-Proof Your Business?

Disasters may be unpredictable, but your response doesn’t have to be. Whether you're a small shop in Bobcaygeon or a growing enterprise in Peterborough, now is the time to build resilience.

Let’s create a disaster recovery plan that protects your people, your data, and your bottom line. Reach out to your IT partner—or connect with one who understands the unique challenges of operating in Kawartha.