Homeowners near Fairmount Fire worried about insurance rates

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A College neighborhood is assessing the damage after a fire in Fairmount engulfed their homes. Jim Price showed me what it looked like from his backyard: a normally lush canyon, now a palm cemetery.

“We kind of knew it was going to happen at some point, just because we’re in southern California, on the edge of the canyon and everything,” Price said.

While Price and his neighbors have been preparing for this fire, they are concerned about the timing of it. This comes amid an ongoing homeowners insurance crisis as more companies leave California. Many cite the increased risk of wildfires as a major concern. StateFarm dropped policies on 42 homes in Price’s ZIP code this summer.

“Are you concerned that your rates will go up after this?” ABC 10News asked Perla Shaheen.

“I have no idea. I wouldn’t be surprised. But regardless, it’s just risky,” Price said.

Geologist Pat Abbott says most areas of San Diego are fire-prone.

“The San Diego metropolitan area is full of steep-sided canyons covered with fire-adapted vegetation that can catch fire,” Abbott said.

Abbott says the canyons give way to harsh winds and the narrow road allows the fire to quickly spread to the other side. Even with regular pruning, native vegetation such as palms provide ideal fuel.

“They’re tall, the flames go high in the air, so they cover more area,” Abbott said. “But I think more than anything they throw embers in the wind.”

Price says the risk was always the same before and after the Fairmount fire. He plans to file a claim with his insurance company to repaint the garage and repair the fences.