September 2026

Wildfire risk keeps growing, and so do home insurance costs. Many homeowners are asking how to make their homes safer, and what it will cost. Upfront costs for wildfire-resistant retrofits range from modest to significant. But new research suggests the price tag is only part of the story. The benefits beyond fire protection Headwaters Economics

Great news: Governor Newsom has signed the first-in-the-nation standards for testing and remediating hazardous wildfire smoke contamination for future fires and requires insurers to cover qualifying smoke damage, testing, remediation, and restoration. California Enacts First-in-Nation Standards for Smoke-Damaged Homes In the ashes of the January 2025 wildfires, thousands of Los Angeles-area homeowners have faced a