At the July meeting of the
Countywide Fire Safe Council (CFSC,) south county insurance agent, Trace Churchill, spoke
to the group about how insurers have changed their home insurance underwriting guidelines
since the big fires in southern California. Churchill indicated that most insurers now
consider three things: (1) ISO protection class; (2) clearance around buildings; and (3)
the “risk meter.”
ISO (Insurance Services
Offices) maintains a database for insurers that assigns a “fire protection
classification” to property addresses throughout the nation. The classification is
primarily based upon their evaluation of the communities' “fire-suppression
capabilities.” This classification rates the local fire department on things like the
fire-station locations, “automatic-aid” agreements with other fire departments
and hydrant locations. Ratings run from a 1, (where limited damages are expected,) to a
10, (the “unprotected” class where the probability of total loss in a fire is
high.)
Properties in Siskiyou County have rankings from 4-10. A high ranking
property would have a great deal of difficulty getting insurance and the costs would be
very high. (An example of why it is so important to support your local fire department.)
Clearance around buildings is another factor taken into consideration
by insurers. Regardless of what the law requires, insurers may want to see from 200 to 500
foot clearance around buildings. Depending upon the insurer, this could mean clearing down
to bare ground, or clearing all grass, brush and trees for 30 feet, or clearing just grass
and brush. An insurer may chose to exempt a property from fire coverage if “brush
warranties” are not met.
The “risk meter” is a new underwriting tool. This system
utilizes satellite technology. The photos have been color-coded to describe the local
areas’ vegetation. Certain carriers will only accept properties marked in certain
colors. (www.riskmeter.com)
Churchill indicated that “preferred” insurance rates go to
properties ranked 7 or under. “Standard” rates go to those ranked 8-9. There is
quite a cost difference between rankings. “Non-standard” rates apply to those
ranked a 10. If an individual has been denied insurance by three carriers, he can apply
for the “Fair Plan,” a State run plan where rates are cost prohibitive.
According to Churchill, it is likely that when another large fire
occurs in Siskiyou County, (500 acres or more,) insurers may place a moratorium where no
new insurance will be written in a particular zip code. (This meeting was prior to the big
fire at Iron Gate.)
On another note, the Countywide Fire Safe Council of Siskiyou County
(CFSC) is in the process of writing a Wildfire Protection Plan. For the purpose of the
plan, the county has been divided into 6 regions: Scott; mid-Klamath (Hilt to Somes Bar;)
Shasta; Butte; and Upper Sacramento. These regions represent areas in a common watershed,
that made sense geographically and respected existing fire safe council boundaries. A lot
of mapping has already been done by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS,) California Department
of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF,) and the Siskiyou County Planning Department to plot
vegetation, fuel (high and low fire risk,) and create layers that will overlay parcel
maps.
A written description will be done for each region assessing the
regional fire risk, including factors that relate to fire safety, such as: infrastructure;
transportation routes and evacuation plans. The preliminary draft will be forwarded to
local fire safe councils, fire departments, watershed councils and cities to review and
amend. Fire Safe Councils will be able to include their local plans and community-level
details. Examples of what such plans look like can be found on the internet at
http://www.firesafecouncil.org/
The Plan can be used by local fire safe councils in preventive
strategies to reduce fuel load and dangerous conditions that may threaten important
community resources, such as creating shaded fuel breaks between heavily forested or
brushed areas and residential communities. When large fire incidents occur, it also can be
used by firefighters to be forewarned of local conditions and hazards – such as the
old mine shafts encountered by out of town firefighters in the French Gulch fire in Shasta
County.
It should be clarified that the SCFSC Wildfire Protection Plan will
have no effect on ratings by insurers. They have their own internal rating processes. It
is hoped that the Plan, combined with risk assessment and local Fire Safe Council work
will actually help to change fuel conditions on the ground. It is intended to be a real
tool for landowners and communities to prevent and reduce damage from fires like those
recently experienced in neighboring Shasta County.
For more information about starting or participating in a local Fire
Safe Council, participating in the Wildfire Protection Planning effort or the Countywide
Fire Safe Council, contact Dale or Giselle Nova at novavita@sbcglobal.net or (530)
926-2089. |
