Marijuana Business Magazine November December 2018

A year later, the facility is almost completely rebuilt. Pearson said he’s hit a few snags with the regulatory hoops he’s had to jump through when obtaining state permits. But aside from that, his operations are not only almost back to 100%, they’re better prepared for any future fire. The new buildings are made from metal, unlike the previous wood structures. “That’s just how you build buildings now,” Pearson said. “It’s the eco- nomical way to do it, and, of course, they are more fire safe.” Most of Pearson’s fire-safety measures are exterior treatments to the land as well as preventative equipment. “Fire sprinklers on the inside of a building, for forest fires, don’t do much,” Pearson said. “It’s important to think about fires coming from out- side if you’re in fire-prone areas like we are in Northern California.” He recommends anyone growing cannabis in an area prone to wildfires have access to a large amount of water. A tanker truck that can hold 3,000 gallons of water and be connected to a high-pressure fire hose is a good idea, according to Pearson. You should be able to find one for about $30,000, he said. To fight a fire, you also need enough water storage to be able to fill the tank quickly. Pearson said that with the right system, you can fill the tank in 20 minutes. He suggests connecting the well to a gasoline-powered pump, so you don’t need electricity if the grid goes down. Pearson also recommends having access to an old bulldozer to carve out fire breaks. Managing the vegetation around your buildings is another good strategy. To keep the flames away, Pearson installed a gravel lot that’s 100-150 feet wide and surrounds his buildings. Pearson noted that, until last year, there hadn’t been a wildfire in his immediate vicinity for 30 years. He didn’t have insurance at the time of the 2017 wildfire, and in hindsight, he admits he should have had some form of coverage. But there’s a sticking point: Federal crop insurance is not an option for cannabis cultivators, whether they’re growing hemp or marijuana, because the plant remains illegal in the eyes of Uncle Sam. A handful of companies will cover marijuana and hemp growers through a form of crop insurance. Of the cannabis farmers who were insured, those in Pearson’s area are finding out that insurance covers only about half the damage. Pearson advises that cannabis business owners make sure they’re insured for actual replacement costs, not where the market values your product when the natural disaster occurs. Looking ahead, Pearson said he is ready for the next natural disaster. He “absolutely” believes a wildfire will happen again, as increasing tempera- tures become the new norm in Northern California. “It’s going to come,” Pearson said. “It’s just a matter of when.” Wildfires tore through Sonoma County, California, in October 2017. The ranch where Erich Pearson lost $5 million worth of cannabis could have been better protected if he had access to a large amount of water and buildings made out of metal, Pearson said. Photos courtesy of SPARC 88 • Marijuana Business Magazine • November/December 2018