Contact: Yeraldin
Deavila, Public Information Officer
Phone: (775)
687-0772
E-mail: ydeavila@doi.nv.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–
June 6, 2018
It takes a village to decrease wildfire threat to your property
Prepare now!
Mitigation is the key.
CARSON CITY, NV – The most recent wildfire in Northern Nevada’s
Lyon County near Dayton that burned more than 3,000 acres was a good reminder
that wildfire season is upon us and we need to be prepared.
Fortunately, this brush fire mostly
burned rangeland and no structures were damaged or threatened, but this may not
be the case next time. For this reason it is important to mitigate now to
reduce the possibility of fire-related property damages.
“Mitigation is only effective if it
is done before a disaster strikes and is more effective when the entire
community participates,” said Insurance Commissioner Barbara Richardson.
Consumers may start by following
local ordinances that help control the growth of shrubs, vegetation, pine
needles and other fire fuels. This is especially important in high vegetation
communities such as Lake Tahoe and the Mount Charleston areas.
Another important step is
creating defensible space around your property. Living with Fire has a
“Defensible Space Calculator” on their website at http://www.livingwithfire.info/before-the-fire
that can recommend how much defensible
space your property needs. By taking action consumers not only reduce the
threat of wildfire but this can also help the firefighters defend property
safely and more effectively.
“Community-wide mitigation
efforts may lead not only to lowering the risk of wildfire, and loss from
wildfire but it may also be helpful in lowering individual home insurance
premiums.” explained Commissioner Richardson.
Even though reducing the fuel
will reduce the risk of fire to your home, it is also important to protect your
home with adequate insurance.
The Nevada Division of Insurance
recommends that you conduct a checkup that includes completing a home inventory
and reviewing the provisions of your homeowner’s policy with your insurance
agent or insurance company. A good reminder to do so may be when you receive
your annual renewal notice. This inventory and review will ensure appropriate
and adequate coverage is in place to repair or replace your home and belongings
in the event that it is destroyed by a fire.
The Division has resources
available on its website to help homeowners and renters. Please visit the
Division’s website at http://doi.nv.gov/Consumers/Homeowners-Insurance/Home-Inventory/ for tips on how to create a home inventory.
You can also view the Nevada Consumer’s Guide to Home Insurance at http://doi.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/doinvgov/_public-documents/News-Notes/HomeInsuranceGuide2011B.pdf.
Don’t forget to also check out
the NAIC’s free myHOME Scr.APP.book downloadable app that allows you to quickly
photograph and capture descriptions of your possessions room by room, then
store electronically for safekeeping. The app is available for iPhone® and
Android devices.
About the Nevada Division of Insurance
The State of Nevada Division of
Insurance, a Division of the Nevada Department of Business and Industry,
protects the rights of Nevada consumers and regulates Nevada’s $14 billion
insurance industry. The Division of Insurance has offices in Carson City and
Las Vegas. In 2017, the Division investigated more than 3,200 consumer complaints
and recovered over $5 million on behalf of consumers. For more information
about the Division of Insurance, visit DOI.NV.GOV.
###