Getting home fire insurance for residents in high wildfire hazard areas: A Commentary from a WUI resident

The following is a commentary contributed by a homeowner living in a high fire hazard severity zone in Los Angeles County, California. If you’d like to contribute a commentary on a wildland fire or a wildfire safety topic, please email us. Got turned down for home insurance? So did I. Last spring I received a call from my insurance agent informing me that my home was now considered part...

How to get fire insurance if you live in the wildland-urban interface

Chances are you already know how hard it is to get fire insurance if you live in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), or in an area of California classified as a Cal Fire high Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ). But even though getting home or renter’s fire insurance can be a challenge for WUI residents, it is far from impossible, it just takes work and preparation. Every year, hundreds of...

Governor declares Wildfire Awareness Week in California

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared May 2-8 to be Wildfire Awareness Week (PDF) in California. Cal Fire’s theme for the week is You Provide the Defense, We Provide the Offense! based on the internationally recognized Ready, Set, Go! program. Events are planned through the week, with a planned roll-out of a new CalFire website called Ready for Fire on May 2nd and a kick-off event...

Finding the Fire Plans that Cover Your Area

Fire plans are developed by different agencies and organizations for a variety of purposes. Local fire plans list collaborators, describing hazards and detail local priorities. Local fire plans can be a valuable source of information about the fire departments and organizations involved with fire response in your area, as well as an opportunity to familiarize yourself with some of the issues...