Wildfire

Wildfires in Arizona, including the recent Museum, Pipeline, Haywire, and Tunnel Fires, dramatically alter the natural flow of water, leaving the ground charred while destroying the vegetation that absorbs rainfall and reduces runoff. In areas that are severely burned, it can take years for trees and other vegetation to be restored to a level that reduces flood risks. Without such natural buffers, these areas are prone to dangerous mudslides and flooding, often resulting in extensive damage to homeowners.

Regrettably, the insurance industry routinely denies coverage to homeowners who suffer damage due to flooding and mudslides caused by wildfires. The insurers typically cite flood, mudslide, and earth movement exclusions. Indeed, the insurance industry has been so successful in perpetrating the myth that these losses are not covered that the media and even government authorities have publicly declared that such losses are not covered under homeowner’s policies.