The above post is not positive.....it clearly demonstrates how arbritrary the process has become.....there seems to be no specific set of requirements and the requirements are in the eye of any randon inspector. BAD and SAD.
BEST to keep the local fire people off the property and rely on a professional from the insurance firms.....at least they have firm written specs. Giver the controlled burn mess last year ALL fire people have lost the confidence of the public......there responsibility to regain.
deltamrey wrote: The above post is not positive .....it clearly demonstrates how arbritrary the process has become.....there seems to be no specific set of requirements and the requirements are in the eye of any randon inspector. BAD and SAD.
BEST to keep the local fire people off the property and rely on a professional from the insurance firms .....at least they have firm written specs. Giver the controlled burn mess last year ALL fire people have lost the confidence of the public......there responsibility to regain.
Baloney! State Farm accepted the inspection report and accompanying photos, which they wouldn't if "a professional from the insurance firm" hadn't reviewed them. And I hardly see the fire chief as a "random" inspector.
An additional benefit is that PCFD has us in their data base as a savable property.
Guidelines used by the counties and fire departments are largely universal, it seems to be the insurance industry that creates the arbitrary changes. The "professionals" from the insurance firms have never been out on a wildland fire, and in my experience have no idea what good vs. bad mitigation looks like.
This whole conversation is silly, typical 285B "someone told me that their third cousin's friend got a letter from their insurance company". Has anyone on this thread ever actually received such a letter?
The community wildfire protection plans are out and have been out for several years.
when I am doing any mitigation work I consult these plans for each specific area and address any individual concerns with the homeowner on a site by site basis. It is best for the homeowner to look over the plans that have been approved by the state and talk with the insurance companies to see if they have any other specific requirements. Some neighborhoods have different requirements based on risk.
Here are the cwpp's for most of the local neighborhoods.
Elk Creek
Those should cover most of the local areas of users of this board. If you need help finding the cwpp for a specific community I can help with that if you need it.
Don't forget that 2013 is the last year for a tax credit from the state of Colorado. You can deduct half of the amount of what you spend on fire mitigation up to 2500.00.
even if you don't hire out the work you can still deduct supplies like chainsaws and other expenses.
Here is a link for the tax credit so that you can take advantage of this opportunity.
Mitigation Tax credit
homeagain wrote: I belong to a "FireWise" Community......our fire guy has indicated that SOME companies may be requiring 100 FEET CLEAR CUT around
structures........anyone out there have this NEW stipulation from their insurance? So far, State Farm does NOT. :faint: :faint:
The Chief mentioned this during his report tonight - the dept is hearing from many homeowners that insurance companies are starting to require 100ft clearance from the home of all vegetation. Many have told the firefighters that their rates are going up, some have even lost insurance. I don't know if that's the same insurance company for all those folks, or multiple companies.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
I called my agent last week about the info in this thread. He said that "they" (agent? company?) drive by insured properties periodically to do a visual review. I was just renewed for the coming year and he said that I wouldn't have been if there were any concerns. When I mentioned the 100 foot clearcut he said, "Then what's the point of living in the mountains?"
I think the 100 feet would also depend on your situation.
For example, our home is on a knoll, but has grassland on three sides surrounding it. And we have a 75 foot gravel swath in between the home and the trees uphill...but it might still be a good idea to have an expert check it out.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
PER Sun. Denver Post......in June State Farm sent out THOUSANDS of letters with 100 feet CLEAR CUT requirements.....when I
spoke to my agent (when I posted the original information) he indicated it was primarily addressing properties that have difficult
access and steep terrain....scrub oak, juniper, spruce on hillsides and clilffs.......IF your property is flat and relatively mitigated
you should NOT have been in the mailing......they ARE enforcing 100 FEET CLEAR CUT (to put that into perspective,it is approx
1/3 the size of a football field, I think).......THIS is probably going to be the FIRST in a series of mailings (JMO)....30 feet
perimeter will become 50 feet......and they will continue to increase.....(JMO).....the price of living in the mountains/poor forest
management. :
I read Tosches' column this weekend and he made a good point. 100 feet would effectively deforest many mountain lots.
We cut back our trees a couple years ago and I still miss seeing the birds and squirrels up close at the kitchen window while reading the paper.
On the other side, one of my coworkers just showed me the home he lost in the South Fork fire. They hadn't cut any of the trees back. Irony? The blackened trees still stand but the home was destroyed.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
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