Are your home and property protected against wildfire ?
Like many areas in California, fire/homeowners insurance has become an increasingly significant cost driver for landlords and home buyers alike. In many cases, costs have quadrupled here in the Tahoe Basin over the last 5 years. We can’t control for the algorithms and business choices of the major insurance carriers, but there are a few things that can be done to help when the property is being considered for coverage specifically:
Defensible space and fire-wise communities
- Defensible space. Wildfires, including the Caldor fire that entered the South Tahoe area in 2021, have driven more resources and ordinances toward creating defensible space around properties and neighborhoods. The key elements of defensible space include routine cleanup of pine-needles around the property exterior, trimming of low and dead tree branches as well as some bushes like Juniper. Assembly Bill 38 was passed in California, and it integral to the vegetation management ordinance in El Dorado County, with the City of South Lake Tahoe soon to adopt something similar AB 38 Defensible Space Inspections – El Dorado County Fire Protection District
- Firewise communities. Some insurance companies will offer a discount for neighborhoods or groups of properties that are certified as “Firewise”. To learn more, please see Firewise Community (edcgov.us)
