In the era of cutting-edge computer modeling, satellite data and AI, there has never been more abundant information on the danger that wildfire poses to homes in the Los Angeles area. But that didn’t necessarily help thousands of homeowners correctly assess their personal risk.
Many homes that burned in January's Eaton Fire lay outside the boundaries of state — or local-designated "very high” fire hazard severity zones, Bloomberg Green found after analyzing inspection reports by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, for more than 20,000 residential properties in areas affected by the recent wildfires.
The fires in January destroyed more than 11,000 homes in total, and more than 40% of those had stood outside of the official fire-hazard zones. In Altadena, some 4,500 houses burned in locations beyond the zone boundaries. That means homeowners faced no fire-related disclosure requirements when purchasing a home, as would be the case for transactions inside the zones. Property owners inside the zone also face mandates for brush clearing and other steps to mitigate risk that didn't apply to nearby homes outside the boundary.
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