Wildfires threaten homes and insurance

RUIDOSO, N.M. (KRQE) - New Mexico's fire season is fast approaching and it's expected to be a bad one.

While fire officials are trying to figure out how to best protect people and property, some insurance companies say they might drop coverage for people who chose to live in those high-risk areas.

Local, state, and federal officials partnered up in Ruidoso Wednesday to discuss plans for this year's fire season.

Last year much of the state was ravaged by fires. This year, the risk is high with severe drought conditions and little moisture.

It's a risk that's also affecting insurance.

"As we see this increasing wildfire threat move into a dangerous active season, insurance companies really do expect homeowners that live in these higher-risk areas to share that risk," explained Carole Walker, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association .

By sharing the risk, homeowners are urged to learn what their insurance companies require to stay affordable and insured.

Officials say preparing property will help it withstand a wildfire with minimal intervention. It'll also help save the homeowners money.

"It's that pocket-book incentive of getting and keeping affordable insurance that's really going to get people oftentimes to do the right thing and protect their property," Walker said.

While fire officials are preparing themselves for another dry season, Ruidoso Fire Chief Harlan Vincent said he wants the community to be prepared as well. He said there's a new tool to keep everyone on the same page.

This year's new emergency notification system is called Call Me Ruidoso , and it's a system designed to be the lifeline for evacuation alerts.

"If there's a fire in the area, and we make sure that our community knows if there's smoke anywhere in the area, they are for sure going to know about it," Vincent said. He wants everyone in Ruidoso to sign up for it.

The message fire officials and insurance agencies are sending is for people not just to be aware of risks but also to take action.

"If you're unwilling to make a defensible space, you're living in a high-risk area, you're too high of a risk for us to insure," said Walker.

Walker explained that with more insurance companies taking this perspective.

"It's not going to be a matter of paying higher rates because of no mitigation steps," she said.? "It will affect your ability to get and keep insurance."

Some things homeowners can do to keep their area safe is making sure they thin trees and vegetation on their properties. Another is having clear access for emergency crews.

Keith Worley, advisor for the federal Firewise Communities Program , said their mantra is to keep landscape lean, clean and green. He also said homeowners should keep a Class A roof and a high level of maintenance including cleaning gutters and decks and around foundation.

The U.S. Forest Service Sacramento Ranger District also has scheduled a lecture on April 12 in Cloudcroft to discuss the effect of drought and insect infestations on the forest and fire hazard particularly in the area around High Rolls.

The RMIIA also offers materials that can be downloaded from its website: ?

Online from KRQE News 13: Fire coverage, official updates and preparedness resources in the KRQE.com Wildfires section .

the cabin in the woods the cabin in the woods trace adkins the darkest hour the darkest hour neverland wormwood