Here in Humboldt County, we have been lucky not to have had any serious wildfires....yet.   However, with all of the wildfires that have occurred throughout the State of California, even in areas and communities not prone to wildfires, insurance companies are changing the way homes are evaluated for homeowners insurance. As a result, rates are being raised dramatically or insurance is simply being dropped for hundreds of California Residence. 

Local residents are fortunate thus far, however, it has been a struggle to convince insurance companies of the fact that Humboldt is a little different than most areas, even if you live among the trees.  But keep in mind that regardless of where you live, it is still up to the insurance to determine your rates. 

What is on your side if you live within the boundaries of the Arcata Fire Protection District, is that the District currently has a good insurance rating, or ISO, as it is often referred to.  The insurance rating that was given to the District after its last review is 3/3Y. On a scale of  1-10, with one being the best, that is quite beneficial. The rating is based on a number of factors, including proximity to a fire station and hydrants (water supply), the amount of staffing, equipment and apparatus that an agency has, and communications. The Y is added because the District has a large rural response area, a lot of which does not have good or nearby hydrants or water supply. This means that when a fire occurs in the rural areas of the District, our water tender is automatically dispatched, bringing our own water source to the fire. 

If you need to provide proof of the District's ISO rating, please feel free to download and print it here.