Kensington Fire Safe

By Judy Beust Harrington, Co-Chair, Kensington Fire Safe (KFS)

Kensington’s fire safe council will share researched answers to inquiries from community members here – if you send your fire-related questions to info@kensingtonfiresafe.org.  Pictures appreciated!

Q.  Is there a measurement showing how San Diego’s fire department stacks up to other fire departments?

A: This time the answer came before the question. Recently Kensington Fire Safe Council member, John Pringle, chatted with me while walking his dog.  John happened to mention that our San Diego Fire Department has an “ISO” rating. 

Here’s what we learned: the “Insurance Services Office,” is a subsidiary of Verisk Analytics, which provides statistical data for insurance companies. They assign an ISO “Public Protection Class (PPC)” from 1 to 10, based on an evaluation of a community’s ability to protect the public from fires.” ^{(1) (2)}

That evaluation involves an assigned value to the following  categories and weights:⁽³⁾

• 50%: issues like staffing levels, training, firehouse proximity.
• 40%: availability of water and fire hydrants.
• 10%: emergency communication systems.

Extra points may be earned based on community outreach, like fire prevention and safety courses.  On the other hand, having areas that exceed five driving miles from the nearest fire station also affects scoring.

How do we rate?  Drum roll please… As of the last rating assessment in 2017, San Diego’s was a “2″ — with “1″ being the best. This is very impressive considering only 45 out of 854 California fire departments nationwide achieved a “1” – per the chart and article below.  Apparently ISO evaluations are typically done every 10 years, so we’re probably not yet due for another one. ^{(4) (5)}

Of course, the next obvious question is – does that rating help when it comes to our homeowner insurance costs and availability?

Does the rate matter?

Based on discussions with John and KFS insurance advisor, Scott Caraveo, the ISO rating may or may not be used by insurance companies in their complex process for determining community rates.

“Insurers don’t really provide discounts for lower PPC scores…safer areas just cost less.” Scott clarified.  “Most California carriers work off a combination of both FireLine, parcel-based modeling and PPC, which is community-based risk modeling. Overall, community-based modeling is safer for companies because they can apply a broader rate to a general area, as opposed to setting different rates for each individual household in that same area.

“Consumers might appreciate parcel modeling quite a bit, but that would also be a LOT more tedious for companies (and agents/brokers!), and consumers would likely see a lot more variance on their insurance rates from house-to-house as a result.”

The FireLine data Scott mentioned is also provided by the risk assessment company, Verisk, in collaboration with the National Fire Protection Association.  Its FireLine analysis includes property-specific mitigation efforts like defensible space and other home hardening measures, as well as fuel, slope, wind patterns and other factors.  

For a past column, KFS asked Verisk about the extent to which density is considered, and a spokesperson confirmed that it is a factor although how much it influences their fire risk scoring is unclear.  We are talking to Verisk about a possible presentation to our community —  tell us if that’s something you might be interested it. (info@kensingtonfiresafe.org). 

Meanwhile, there’s comfort in knowing our fire department is among the few in the top two ISO performance classifications. One website I visited for another California area with a high ISO recommended homeowners remind their insurance company of that good rating. 

Seems like it couldn’t hurt — unlike the rate increases or cancellations unfortunately neighbors are seeing these days.

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(1) https://www.philomathfire.com/insurance-services-office-iso-information#:~:text=ISO%20is%20the%20principle%20provider,industry%20in%20the%20United%20States

(2) https://einhorninsurance.com/insurance-advice/fire/high-brush-home-insurance-public-protection-class/#:~:text=What%20does%20Protection%20Class%20or,the%20worst)%20to%20a%20home.

(3) https://mcesd8.org/class1iso/#:~:text=More%20than%2050%2C000%20fire%20departments,earned%20a%20Class%201%20rating.

(4) https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/fire/iso-class-i-rating

(5) https://www.princeton-il.com/departments/fire___ems/iso_public_protection_class_rating.php#:~:text=The%20Public%20Protection%20Classification%20(PPC,to%20the%20related%20evaluation%20criteria

By Judy Beust Harrington, Co-Chair, Kensington Fire Safe (KFS)

Kensington’s fire safe council will share researched answers to inquiries from community members here – if you send your fire-related questions to info@kensingtonfiresafe.org.  Pictures appreciated! 

Here’s a follow-up to previous Firey Questions:

Q #1.  When is the city going to trim our canyons?

Come pose that question to Deputy Chief Marshal Anthon Tosca, Senior Code Compliance Supervisor Marci Garcia plus other representatives from the Parks and Recreation Open Space Division, and also from the Fire Rescue Department, when they join us for a presentation at Kensington Community Church, Wednesday, June 12^th at 6:30 PM, in Lander Hall. 

Learn about vegetation thinning on certain city property adjacent to privately-owned lots, the “Ember Resistant Zone,” real estate defensible space inspections and other local wildfire prevention efforts.  Please let us know if you’re coming so we can be sure to have enough chairs.  RSVP at kensingtonfiresafe.org.

Q #2.  Can I find out how fire safe my house really is?

A: Yes!  Check out the FREE home assessment program being offered by the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County.   The assessments include inspecting your house and property to determine vulnerabilities to potential flying embers in the event of a wildfire, as well as other fire dangers.  Staff conducting the 30-to-45-minute, confidential assessment will make recommendations for improvements to harden your home against potential fires and provide other resources.

Two program phases are being rolled out by geographic zones.   The first phase is the home assessments.  For Kensington/Zone 6 the second round will take place August 5^th to the 7^th.  They already completed about half a dozen in our area during the first March round.

There’s a second “service” phase when chipping and defensible space efforts are available to homeowners in high-risk areas that have physical, economic, or other barriers to doing the work themselves.    These services will be available August 12^th to 16^th  for our area.  For more details, go to https://firesafesdcounty.org/hap/

This program is made possible by funding from CAL FIRE, through the California Fire Safe Council’s Defensible Space Assistance Grant Program.

Q#3: When is the next KFS Dumpathon?

A:  Well, not this Spring as originally planned. We’ve been told that we should not hold this fuel-thinning support during the March through August gnatcatcher breeding season. We started holding late Spring events several years ago, based on resident’s feedback on the best time for trimming excess brush, after learning of a County and State agreement to allow fire fuel reduction efforts during this season.  However, we were recently informed that the City’s Municipal Code restricting this activity overrides this agreement.  So, our Spring Dumpathon was canceled.

By Judy Beust Harrington, Co-Chair, Kensington Fire Safe (KFS)

Kensington’s fire safe council will share researched answers to inquiries from community members in this column.  Send your fire-related questions to info@kensingtonfiresafe.org.  Pictures appreciated! 

Q:  Over a recent delicious lunch at Clem’s Station on Monroe,  we talked with Tony – manager, bartender, waiter, and part of the owing family – about problems residents are having getting, keeping, or affording homeowner insurance. He asked how the California FAIR Plan worked.

A:  Good timing, Tony.  We recently sat in on a conference call that gave us some insights into the  “Fair Access to Insurance Requirements” program, aka the California FAIR Plan (CFP).

First of all, it’s not a government entity, as a lot of folks think.  Although established by a California statue in 1968, CFP is run by a consortium of California property and casualty insurers. They’re required to participate if they want to do business here, and they share in the plan’s overhead, profits and most significantly – losses, in direct proportion to their market share in our state. ⁽¹⁾  

So that means the bigger their sales, the greater their CFP plan liabilities, on top of whatever they’re paying out for their own insured. Is it any wonder you may find it hard to get a policy with the biggest insurers like State Farm, The Hartford and USAA?

FAIR plans, which exist in 26 states, weren’t intended for long term coverage, but rather as a temporary safety net until traditional insurance could be secured. In other words, it’s the insurance of last resort when no other insurer will take you on. But with our fire losses, CFP covers over 320,000 policies – about 3% of Californians.  (By contrast, Washington State’s CFP Plan only covers about 130 policies.) ⁽²⁾

CFP doesn’t take all comers. Brokers must answer questions about why they’re placing the risk with it, and confirm they’ve been declined by other carriers. As a result, CFP’s growing share of high-risk properties results in more expense for insurers and higher premiums for the insured.^.(3)

But…there are other problems.  According to a June article in the San Francisco Standard, critics say the CFP is underfunded and mismanaged.  Perhaps not surprising since, as the article says, “The very companies that refuse to insure properties in high-risk areas are still insuring them through the “back door” of CFP, and it doesn’t always pay out when it ought to.’

The article goes on to cite a Department of Insurance four-year study that found numerous issues, including that the CFP on occasion failed to provide standard fire insurance coverage, particularly regarding smoke damage claims. ^.(4)

Kensington Fire Safe’s insurance advisor, Scott Caraveo, says the process can be slow. “As homeowners buy in areas with higher fire risk, they’re ending up with five or more insurance quotes from several brokers, which may all be from the CFP. So now CFP has five different applications from five different brokers, all for the same address, creating a gigantic backlog.  The three or four days it used to take for a CFP quote to be returned have become three weeks or more.”

Scott Caraveo, Insurance Advisor to Kensington Fire Safe

Higher Prices & Less Coverage

Scott pointed out there was a 15 percent increase this past December, but it’s not spread evenly. According to a November ABC report, “Some people in the most wildfire-prone, high-risk areas could see their rates as much as double.”  And CFP covers less than traditional insurance plans.⁽⁵⁾   Of course, some of our neighbors have already seen their homeowner insurance double if it’s renewed at all.

So, that’s the bad CFP news.  The good news is we at least have a backup   insurance option.  If interested, your insurance broker can help with the plan’s application process, which requires information on your home’s replacement costs and date-stamped photos.  You’re supposed to get a quote that’s good for 30 days.

Another option is an excess and surplus (E&S) carrier specializing in insuring high-risk properties.  These policies are not backed by the California Insurance Guarantee Association, although they likely have other fail safes, such as reinsurance. Check with your broker or the Surplus Line Association of California website for more information.

Meanwhile, make your home more attractive to insurers by hardening it against fire embers. A good time to trim excess green fuel and dump it for free is during the KFS Spring Dumpathon,  Thursday, April 25 to Monday, May 6^th.  Check for location announcements at kensingtonfiresafe.org and on Nextdoor. And please, no non-greens. We can be fined for that!

Watch for announcements about our April 25^th to May, 6^th Dumpathon!

By the Fire Safe Way… we’re hoping to arrange two presentations this Spring: 

• Efforts to Keep Our Canyons Safe by representatives from San Diego Open Space Brush Management and the San Diego Fire Department.
• Assessing Fire Risk by representatives from Verisk on how they report on risk for insurance companies. 
• Watch for date announcements on Nextdoor and KFS’s Facebook page.  To receive this info directly, send your email address to info@kensingtonfiresafe.org

Notes:

1. https://www.cfpnet.com/about-fair-plan/#:~:text=The%20California%20FAIR%20Plan%20was,from%20a%20traditional%20insurance%20carrier.
2. https://content.naic.org/cipr-topics/fair-access-insurance-requirements-fair-plans#:~:text=The%20states%20that%20have%20their,similar%20purpose%20to%20FAIR%20plans.
3. https://sfstandard.com/2023/10/19/california-insurance-crisis-CFP-plan-1000-applications-rate-increase/
4. https://sfstandard.com/2023/06/05/as-insurers-retreat-california-homeowners-may-need-the-CFP-plan-so-what-is-it/
5. https://www.cfpnet.com/

“Fire-ey Questions …from Your Neighbors” article in the January 2024 edition of the MetroView.

By Judy Beust Harrington, Co-Chair, Kensington Fire Safe

Kensington’s fire safe council will share researched answers to inquiries from community members here. Please send your fire-related questions to info@kensingtonfiresafe.org.  Pictures really appreciated too!

Q:  From Kensington resident Cynthia Offenhauer: “Hi KFS!  On daily trips from Kensington to Talmadge, I see so much overgrown brush around Aldine, Fairmount, and Montezuma – not only a fire hazard but in some areas, impossible to see entering or exiting traffic. Do you know the schedule for trimming some of this?  Can’t we trim like Chula Vista is doing?

A:  Cynthia – We’re sure you’re not alone in wondering about this. There’s likely both public and private property in these areas, although I suspect most of the area is public.

Public Property

We checked with the San Diego Fire Department in November and were told that crews were currently working in “Area 5” which includes a significant amount of land from Mission Hills to Montezuma, and north to Kearney Mesa, and covers Aldine, Fairmount and Montezuma canyons.

Parks and Recreation Open Space Project Officer, Laura Ball, clarified for us that brush management for open space work is actually overseen by their department.  They focus on thinning and pruning public open spaces that are within 100 feet of a structure.  I’m hoping that by the time you read this, some of that brush is gone.

There’s an online “Brush Management Schedule” which lists which areas are currently being targeted and a projected timeline for completion. https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/brushprioritymaplist.pdf

The phone number for questions on Open Space Brush Management is 619-685-1350.

No DIY on City Property

The City of San Diego initially charged a homeowner $53,000 for “cost recovery” for clearing brush in land behind their house, which turned out wasn’t their property but rather part of Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. The charge was later re-negotiated.  While the homeowner was apparently trying to make their house safer from wildfires, the city maintains – and our research concurs – far less fire-resistant, non-native species take over in cleared lands. So make sure that’s your backyard, before tackling overgrowth.  https://hoodline.com/2023/07/san-diego-man-fined-53k-for-trimming-bushes-that-he-says-pose-fire-risk-to-his-property/

Private Land

Some parts of the canyons Cynthia mentions are likely private property – like  the finger ones between Aldine and Adams. As of this writing, nine of those lots – 2.78 acres – are for sale and zoned for limited residential development. 

San Diego Fire-Rescue Fire Prevention Bureau Message Line (619-533-4388) helps arrange engine and truck company inspections of private property. This can occur when there is a complaint, but they also conduct routine brush management inspections on homes in the high fire severity zones – which includes all this area.  These door-to-door inspections primarily for canyon rim homes are done every few years.  Kensington area was inspected early in 2023.  The online “Open Boundary Map”  shows where these assessments are currently in process.  https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/boundary_map_sept_2023

When requested to do an inspection for a pending house sale, the department charges $118. (http://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/fire/pdf/brushpdf.pdf)

Fire Safety Champions: Chula Vista?

Using a FEMA grant, Chula Vista did massive excess brush thinning and removal in some of their finger canyons, as explained by Fire Captain Andy Wilson on our local NBC news. The plan is to develop a dedicated team to do this, funded by a sales tax increase approved by voters in 2016. 

San Diego already has dedicated Parks and Rec Dept. but does also engage contractors to help cover most of our open space.  However, a number of agencies are also responsible for some areas.  You can learn more details in the Brush Management Audit was that was recently approved by City Council. (See https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/24-01_performance_audit_of_the_citys_brush_mgmt_city_owned_land.pdf

From Performance Audit of the City’s Brush Management on City Owned Land, July 2023

By the Fire Safe Way…

Density-Danger & Insurance: KFS and others continue to be concerned with ADU apartment buildings going up in canyon rim communities.  After much research, we’re convinced added ADU apartment density is going to further the already high cost and low  availability of insurance for homeowners and renters in ADU and the adjacent blocks as well.

We’ve asked that, prior to granting higher density permits in these canyon rim areas, state and city officials consider, #1 requiring some investigation of insurance availability for the new ADU apartment building, #2 pro-active notice to nearby neighbors of the permit application, and #3 the opportunity for local community input.   Please make your voices heard if you agree.

Free Home Assessments: Fire Safe Council of San Diego County is now accepting applications for their free Home Assessment Program This includes trained staff looking at your property’s vulnerability to wildfire and ember ignition along with resilience recommendations for you to consider. Applications to sign up will be available in January, 2024. More info at: https://firesafesdcounty.org/hap/