Lawmakers approve bold new safety net for uninsured homeowners after devastating fires: 'It's time ... to align with the rest of the world'
The California State Assembly Insurance Committee recently approved Assembly Bill 1236. This bill includes provisions to create climate resilience insurance and grant programs to reduce risk.
In addition to destroying acres of natural habitats, the fires also had a substantial impact on residential areas, displacing more than 100,000 people.
The insurance will address this by providing coverage for events related to natural disasters like the wildfires. It places special emphasis on vulnerable populations who may not have insurance.
California has always been prone to wildfires, but they have been exacerbated by rising global temperatures. Wildfire season is typically over the summer, so these powerful January fires were a rare event.
"The climate crisis demands action and innovative solutions. It's time for California to align with the rest of the world, which has been developing innovative climate insurance solutions to protect our most vulnerable populations for years now," Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in a news release.
As Californians recover after the wildfires and adapt to the changing climate, measures such as AB 1236 could be pivotal in preparing for wildfire seasons to come.
The bill is under review by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, but its supporters are hopeful that it will become law.
Tim Brown, director of the NOAA Western Regional Climate Center, wrote that California's fires result from "the confluence of climate, people, topography, and fuels…the intersection where these meet on the Venn diagram."
To reduce the severity of severe natural events including wildfires, humans will need to move away from dirty energy sources that release heat-trapping pollution and invest in renewable energy technologies.
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If you live in an area that is prone to wildfires, you can take precautions by fireproofing your home or planting fire-resistant plants in your yard — just be sure to research which plants are native to the area and which may be invasive species.
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