Newsletter

California JPIA Offers New Wildfire Resources

Wildfires remain an ongoing and worsening threat throughout California. This threat is true for many Authority members as wildfires continue to grow larger and more destructive. To support member agencies and help prepare for the challenging risks associated with wildfires, the California JPIA has contracted with Fireline Defense, LLC to conduct comprehensive wildfire risk assessments of specific high-risk properties owned by 19 member agencies.

“Preparing for wildfire risks can be very challenging,” said Senior Risk Manager Tony Leite. “While wildfires remain unpredictable and devastating, by contracting with Fireline Defense, the Authority is taking preemptive measures to reduce risks for some of our most vulnerable members.”

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Established in 2020 by professional California Firefighters, Fireline Defense offers assessment and consulting services to property owners regarding wildfire risks, prevention, and loss mitigation. As part of their service, professional firefighters perform in-field assessments to identify specific wildfire hazards and assign numeric risk scores to the assessed property using their Fireline Defense Index (FDI). The FDI gives points based on the severity of wildfire risk on a scale of one (poor) to 10 (excellent). After assessing a property, firefighters will recommend specific risk mitigation measures to help reduce the property’s risk of devastation by wildfires. Once these recommendations are implemented, Fireline Defense will reevaluate the property and provide a new FDI rating. A higher FDI score demonstrates reduced wildfire risk.

For the program’s first year, the California JPIA selected 19 member agencies with properties that scored above an 80 in the CoreLogic wildfire risk rating, presented significant value, and had occupant exposure. Unlike the FDI, a higher CoreLogic risk rating demonstrates an increased wildfire risk. The Authority partnered with the City of Big Bear Lake to test the program’s effectiveness.

“The Fire Line Defense program provided the City of Big Bear Lake with a detailed and beneficial report on areas in which the city could improve its defensible space to protect our city hall, which is typically a gathering point in the community during an emergency,” said Administrative Analyst Rachel Bowman. “As we are all familiar, California is especially at risk for wildfires, so the need for fire defense planning and protection services is critical for municipalities in California.”

Bowman notes that understanding and establishing defensible spaces within the city is crucial to mitigating risks from wildfires due to Big Bear Lake’s remote location, which can often limit access to resources during an emergency.

Following the program’s first year, the Authority will look at facilities rated 70 and above in the CoreLogic wildfire risk rating.

“As wildfire risks persist throughout California, we hope to continue providing wildfire prevention and risk mitigation services to ensure our members remain prepared to handle the effects of wildfires and other disasters,” said Leite.

To learn more about the new program, contact your regional risk manager.

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