Practical checklists for wildfire recovery.
Clear, plain-language tools to help you document your losses, communicate with your insurer, and access government resources. Educational only — not legal advice.
Insurance documentation checklist
- Locate your homeowners, renters, or commercial policy declarations.
- Note your policy number, carrier, and effective dates.
- Request a complete certified copy of your policy in writing.
- Track every communication with your insurer — date, person, and what was said.
- Save all denial, delay, or reservation-of-rights letters.
Photograph checklist
- Wide shots of each room and exterior elevation, before cleanup if safe.
- Close-ups of damaged items, serial numbers, and brand labels.
- Photos of any smoke residue on walls, ceilings, HVAC vents, and soft goods.
- Roof, attic, crawl space, and detached structures.
- Time-stamped images via your phone's camera; do not edit originals.
Personal property inventory worksheet
- List items by room: description, brand, age, condition, original cost.
- Group small categories (clothing, books, kitchenware) into reasonable subtotals.
- Attach receipts, credit-card statements, or online order confirmations when available.
- Note items that are irreplaceable (heirlooms, art, documents).
Recovery timeline
- Immediate (0–72h): Safety, lodging, ADL coverage requests, file a claim.
- First 30 days: Documentation, advance payments, contractor evaluations.
- 30–90 days: Detailed scope of loss, structural inspections, smoke testing.
- 90+ days: Negotiation, dispute resolution, and potential third-party claims.
Emergency contacts
- FEMA Disaster Assistance: 1-800-621-3362 — disasterassistance.gov
- American Red Cross: 1-800-733-2767
- SBA Disaster Loans: 1-800-659-2955 — sba.gov/disaster
- Your state insurance department (file complaints, request mediation).
Wildfire preparedness resources
- CAL FIRE Ready, Set, Go program — readyforwildfire.org
- Defensible space inspections and home hardening checklists.
- Community alert systems and evacuation route plans.
- Annual policy review with replacement-cost calculations.