Winds and available fuel increase risk of CA Fires

10/15/2019 (Permalink)

Five of California’s most destructive wildfires on record occurred in 2017.

In fact, 2017 is the costliest year on record for insurers with total U.S. wildfire peril totaling $16bn in losses. The full damage in California is estimated to be as high as $180bn in costs stemming from fire suppression to insurance and recovery expenditures.

California may not see a reprieve in the years to come. For the first time, the National Interagency Fire Center’s Predictive Outlook for 2018 is forecasting above-normal large fire potential due to the persistence of dry fuels, frequent offshore winds, and generally unfavorable weather