Federal Fire Clean-up Programs & What It Will Cost

Homeowners interested in opt-out need to determine where their closest landfill is, if that facility will accept fire debris, and how will that location affect your overall clean-up costs. If you’re still unsure of the entire process and what that involves, you can read a quick summary explanation here. Homeowners can also elect to opt-out and conduct the cleanup of their property utilizing their own insurance coverage, however, if the cleanup costs more than their insurance policy dedicates for debris removal then the homeowners would be responsible for the additional costs. 

If you aren’t in a hurry to re-build, have poor or no insurance coverage, or simply don’t want to deal with another headache at this time, then opting-in is almost assuredly your best option.

Review the chart available here for a recommendation by fire from Napa County north.

How Landfills Effect Fire Clean-up

We’ve been surprised to see how different landfills and different municipalities are handling the implementation of the both the private and federal and state clean-up programs.

The sheer distance of some landfills that are accepting fire debris from a given fire is such that we’d recommend opting-in because it’s extremely unlikely that your insurance for debris removal will cover the hauling and disposal costs in full. We’ve had a chance to review and look at each fire, the closest landfill, and what each municipality is requiring under the opt-out program and can make recommendations for each fire, e.g., the decision we’d make if our home had been destroyed. Find the chart here.

Review the chart available here for a recommendation by fire from Napa County north.

The Entire Cleanup & Re-Building Process after Losing a Home in a Wildfire

As a homeowner, you probably want to know – what now? This guide is based upon our firm’s experience with the Carr and Camp Fires. We’re sadly well versed in this process from a personal and professional level. The guide is intentionally brief and to the point with links to other sources of information we’ve previously prepared. It also assumes each area will be declared a federal disaster area.

 Read the full step by step guide on how to cleanup and rebuild after a wildfire here!

How to Clean up & Rebuild After a Wildfire in 4 Steps

 

 As a homeowner, you probably want to know – what now?

 Step 1: CalRecycle and the CA Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) teams will identify and remove household hazardous waste from each property (i.e. chemicals, and propane tanks).

 Step 2: CalRecycle, CalOES, and the respective County Environmental Health Department will collectively prepare a state-sponsored debris removal program which specifies what work must be conducted and lays out what is expected to be submitted in site specific workplans for each property. 

Step 3: Workplans are prepared that explain what and how the debris will be removed.

Step 4: A completion report will be prepared that summarizes the work completed, provides receipts for waste disposal and the County Environmental Health Department will review and approve the report if all conditions are met. 

 Read the full step by step guide on how to cleanup and rebuild after a wildfire here!