The National Interagency Fire Center recently reported that close to 26,500 fires have burned more than 1.9 million acres of land across the U.S. this year, well above the 10-year average. With population growth expected in higher-risk areas, rising construction costs, and increasingly severe weather, what you do to protect your home and manage your coverage has never been more important.

While weather disasters can disrupt everyday life and cause financial hardship, proactive planning to help safeguard your family and your belongings—along with clear communication and practical preparedness tips—can make recovery easier when time matters most.

Protecting Your Family and Property Before a Wildfire Strikes

• Create an emergency plan: If you haven’t done so already, prepare an emergency fire escape plan with your household that includes emergency contacts, meet up locations, and transportation plans. Don’t forget your pets! Have carriers, food, and vet contacts ready to go.
• Record a home inventory: Take pictures and video to document your personal possessions, because proof of ownership can make your claim settlement easier and faster. A quick video using smartphone or other device of each room can help later.
• Secure your personal information: Back up vital photos, documents, and financial information. Make sure you have installed your preferred insurance apps and other useful digital records. Put original vital documents and irreplaceable items (paper photos, family heirlooms, etc.) in one place so you can grab them quickly if you’re told to leave.

Staying Informed

• Be alert: Sign up for news reports and key information from first responders. Monitor the National Weather Service, local news channels and weather alerts for updates. You can also utilize apps like FEMA or Watch Duty and local emergency notification services.
• Safety first: Material things can be replaced but the loss of life or serious injury can’t be fixed. Close all windows, vents and doors to prevent smoke infiltration.
• Be ready to evacuate: Follow evacuation orders from local authorities without delay. Arrange to take your emergency kit, including vital documents, medications and survival supplies.
• Keep living expenses receipts: They may be reimbursable after meeting your deductible. Filing insurance claims requires organization and thorough documentation.

Preparing for Peak Wildfire Season and Year-Round Hazards

• Protecting your home: Choose coverages, limits, and deductibles based on your home’s construction, roof condition, recent upgrades, and location.
• Enhancing your home’s fire safety: Explore additional steps you can take to eliminate ignition factors around your property and follow this wildfire resilience checklist to see if your home is made of non-ignitable, non-combustible, or fire-resistant materials. Even small actions can make a big impact in protecting your community.
• Ask about wildfire discounts: Depending on where you live and how your home is certified, you may qualify for certain savings. Your State Farm agent can provide information and resources quickly, including if your home is eligible for an IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home designation.
• Beware of scammers: The recovery process is challenging, but having a clear plan and dependable resources will help you rebuild quickly and safely. If you’ve suffered damage and you’re thinking about home improvements, be cautious of contractor fraud and managing do-it-yourself projects alone. Always work with trusted professionals and keep records of any upgrades to support your insurance coverage.

In addition to Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) Wildfire Prepared Homes, State Farm is supportive of the development of community-based wildfire prevention and preparedness standards. We are among the more than 100 innovative and diverse FLASH partners that share their vision of making America a more disaster-resistant nation. We also work directly with legislators and regulators across the country on real solutions to promote homeowner resiliency and the availability of insurance to protect what matters most before, during, or after a loss.

Wildfire risk is increasing and becoming more than just a seasonal threat. Total annual forested acreage burned in the western U.S. is projected to rise by 107% by 2050 [1]. This increased risk means using the latest tools, technology and resources to better understand the unique dangers facing your community and home—not just the surrounding land but also factors like how your home is built and maintained.

We know that every neighborhood and every home is different. We also know price matters, as does providing quality service. We understand that maintaining reliable coverage in the communities where our customers live is both our most challenging and important promise. To offer support when it’s needed most, our agents—your neighbors—are here to guide you through your options and help you make decisions to meet your home insurance coverage needs.  

Taking Action Before Disaster Strikes

Homeowners nationwide are confronting real and complex uncertainties about their coverage options and financial challenges in the marketplace. We understand that planning for wildfires can feel overwhelming and stressful, especially given the evolving nature of these risks and the difficulty of finding the right solutions. Many homeowners share concerns about how these impacts might affect their insurance and their ability to protect what matters most—their homes and families.

Mitigation can take thoughtful investment. Fortunately, recent research and innovative wildfire-resilient communities in Northern California are demonstrating how adequate defensible space and home hardening can be critical to reducing wildfire losses and ultimately shape safer neighborhoods. This science and information also help you, as a homeowner or renter, make informed decisions about how best to maintain your home or property to help avoid a loss. Combined with year-round maintenance, proper building material choice and following leading practices from industry experts, you can help create and manage a more fire-resistant home, no matter the season.

How To Get Started

If you haven’t taken steps to reduce wildfire risk, now is a good time to begin the process. Small actions like clearing nearby brushes can make a big impact in protecting your home and community. To prepare your home ahead of peak wildfire season, consider the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) Wildfire Prepared Home designation—a proven approach to reducing wildfire risk.

State Farm promotes home safety by partnering with leading organizations like IBHS to help build stronger and more resilient communities in the face of today’s emerging risks. Our goal is to provide products that help people manage the risks of everyday life whenever possible, while aligning price to risk, managing our exposure, and encouraging resilient actions.

Applying for Wildfire Prepared Home Certification Programs

Customers with properties that receive IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home or IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Plus designation can receive a premium discount and some properties that are not currently eligible for coverage may become eligible with a Wildfire Prepared Home designation.

The IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home designation is available in several states. If you’ve completed a Critical Home Prep, you may qualify for the designation. Talk to your agent to learn more about the program’s availability in your state and whether your home qualifies for the related benefits.

More Ways to Build, Protect, and Save

• Protecting your home: Choose coverages, limits, and deductibles based on your home’s construction, roof condition, recent upgrades, and location.
• Planning for upgrades: If you’re thinking about home improvements, be cautious of contractor fraud and managing do-it-yourself projects alone. Always work with trusted professionals and keep records of any upgrades to support your insurance coverage.
• Recording a home inventory: Document what you own: A quick video walkthrough on your phone can make a real difference if you ever need to file a claim.
• Ask about wildfire discounts: Depending on where you live and how your home is certified, you may qualify for savings. Your State Farm agent can provide information and resources quickly.

Learn more about the additional steps you can take to eliminate ignition factors and follow a wildfire resilience checklist.

In addition to Wildfire Prepared Home, State Farm is supportive of the development of community-based wildfire prevention and preparedness standards. We are among the more than 100 innovative and diverse FLASH partners that share its vision of making America a more disaster-resistant nation. We also work directly with legislators and regulators across the country on real solutions to promote homeowner resiliency and the availability of insurance to protect what matters most before, during, or after a loss.
 

[1] Abatzoglou, J. T., Battisti, D. S., Williams, A. P., Hansen, W. D., Harvey, B. J., & Kolden, C. A. (2021). Projected increases in western US forest fire despite growing fuel constraints. Communications Earth & Environment, 2(1), 227. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-021-00299-0