Overview
Following the 2017–2018 California wildfires, insurers faced over $25 billion in losses. The 2018 Camp Fire was the deadliest fire in California’s history. At the start of 2020, both communities show a slow but steady recovery, marked by a gradual increase in rebuilding permits and construction efforts.
After catastrophic wildfires hit northern regions of California in 2017 and 2018, Golden State insurers were hit with record-breaking losses exceeding $25 billion. These fires together burned three million acres and destroyed more than 30,000 structures, making 2017 and 2018 the deadliest and most destructive wildfire seasons in California history. Santa Rosa and Paradise were the two hardest-hit towns.
Cotality has been tracking the latest data on the reconstruction effort.
What were the impacts of the 2017 Tubbs Fire on Santa Rosa?
After the October 2017 Tubbs Fire, the Northern California counties of Napa, Sonoma, and Lake suffered devastating losses. Santa Rosa in Sonoma County was the most impacted, sustaining $1.2 billion in damage and the loss of 3,043 housing units.
As of early 2020, Santa Rosa is gradually recovering from this calamity as homeowners, insurers, and developers work to rebuild the community.
What were the impacts of the 2018 Camp Fire on Paradise?
The November 2018 Camp Fire was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history. The fire, which originated in Paradise (Butte County), cost $16.5 billion in damages ($12.5 billion in insured losses) and destroyed 18,804 structures.
These catastrophic losses made the Camp Fire the most-expensive natural disaster for insurers worldwide that year. The Camp Fire played a large role in making 2018 the fourth-costliest year for the global property insurance industry since 1980.
Paradise is slowly recovering. Available data indicates applications for permits have gradually increased since the disaster.
