California Insurance Commissioner Orders Insurance Preserved for 46K Residents Following Fire

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today ordered insurers to preserve residential property insurance coverage for roughly 46,000 policyholders affected by the Thompson Fire in Butte County.

The move follows an emergency declaration over the fire from Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 3. The commissioner’s order shields those living within the perimeters or adjoining ZIP Codes of the Thompson Fire from non-renewal or cancellation for one year from the date of the emergency declaration regardless of whether they suffered a loss. The order protects an estimated 46,000 policyholders in 18 ZIP Codes for one year, according to the California Department of Insurance.

The Thompson Fire in Butte County started on July 2. It destroyed 26 structures and damaged eight structures, causing. Evacuation orders. The fire grew to 3,789 acres and is 100% contained, according to CalFire. The cause is under investigation.

It is one of several large fires occuring in June and July in California. The Lake Fire in Santa Barbara County is the state’s largest ongoing blaze, growing to more than 34,000 acres. It is 16% contained, according to CalFire. The Basin Fire near Fresno is more than 14,000 acres and is 92% contained, and the Shelly Fire in Siskiyou County is more than 9,000 acres and is 0% contained.

California’s official wildfire season is still a ways off, but so far it’s been far busier for firefighters than last year. There has been more than a 1600% increase in acres burned this year compared to last year looking at that same timeframe, according to a CalFire official.

Authorities in Western states warned of the rising risk of wildfires as hot conditions and low humidity dry out the landscape in an ongoing heat wave expected to bake much of the U.S. this week.

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California