Preparing for Wildfire Risk with Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Mike Thayer
11/22/23 • 48 min
In this information-packed episode, host Kurt Thoennessen and certified wildfire mitigation specialist, Mike Thayer provides invaluable insights on wildfire risks and prevention strategies. As wildfires continue to rise in severity across the Western U.S., homeowners must get prepared.
Key topics discussed:
- The role of wind events in driving large, fast-moving wildfires that rapidly spread
- How extended drought and historical fire suppression have built up fuel loads, contributing to more severe fires
- Why ember intrusion, not walls of flames, cause most home ignitions - defensible space is critical
- New standards like the zero to five foot “non-combustible zone” being mandated in CA by 2025 to protect homes
- The wildland urban interface expansion in western states lacking CA’s wildfire building codes
- The impacts of insurance availability and modeling on admitted/non-admitted markets
- The value of wildfire risk education for homeowners that explains the “why” behind mitigations
- Specific home hardening measures (ember-resistant vents, gutter guards, etc.) that make homes insurable
As Mike emphasizes, wildfire readiness education and prevention work must expand outside California to other wildfire-prone states. All homeowners with natural vegetation exposure should proactively mitigate now, before threats grow. Advanced preparation is key to saving homes and making them insurable.
Resources:
- The ibhs website/standards that Mike mentions explains the "why" behind wildfire mitigation recommendations through videos and other content. - https://ibhs.org/wildfireready/
- The ArcGIS product showing expansion of homes in the wildland urban interface, with percentage increases by state from 2007-2020. Allows visual hovering over states. - https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6b2050a0ded0498c863ce30d73460c9e
- This is an article Mike Thayer read about potential "doomsday" scenarios if a major non-admitted carrier wildfire loss occurred, and the impacts that could have. - https://www.kqed.org/science/1985175/insurance-in-california-is-changing-heres-how-it-may-affect-you
- The updated CalFire wildfire hazard severity zone maps that recently came out, designating more high risk WUI areas. - https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents.
- All Things Wildfire Podcast - https://allthingswildfire.com/
- Wildfire Prepared Website - https://wildfireprepared.org/
Mike Thayer's linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-thayer-wms/
In this information-packed episode, host Kurt Thoennessen and certified wildfire mitigation specialist, Mike Thayer provides invaluable insights on wildfire risks and prevention strategies. As wildfires continue to rise in severity across the Western U.S., homeowners must get prepared.
Key topics discussed:
- The role of wind events in driving large, fast-moving wildfires that rapidly spread
- How extended drought and historical fire suppression have built up fuel loads, contributing to more severe fires
- Why ember intrusion, not walls of flames, cause most home ignitions - defensible space is critical
- New standards like the zero to five foot “non-combustible zone” being mandated in CA by 2025 to protect homes
- The wildland urban interface expansion in western states lacking CA’s wildfire building codes
- The impacts of insurance availability and modeling on admitted/non-admitted markets
- The value of wildfire risk education for homeowners that explains the “why” behind mitigations
- Specific home hardening measures (ember-resistant vents, gutter guards, etc.) that make homes insurable
As Mike emphasizes, wildfire readiness education and prevention work must expand outside California to other wildfire-prone states. All homeowners with natural vegetation exposure should proactively mitigate now, before threats grow. Advanced preparation is key to saving homes and making them insurable.
Resources:
- The ibhs website/standards that Mike mentions explains the "why" behind wildfire mitigation recommendations through videos and other content. - https://ibhs.org/wildfireready/
- The ArcGIS product showing expansion of homes in the wildland urban interface, with percentage increases by state from 2007-2020. Allows visual hovering over states. - https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6b2050a0ded0498c863ce30d73460c9e
- This is an article Mike Thayer read about potential "doomsday" scenarios if a major non-admitted carrier wildfire loss occurred, and the impacts that could have. - https://www.kqed.org/science/1985175/insurance-in-california-is-changing-heres-how-it-may-affect-you
- The updated CalFire wildfire hazard severity zone maps that recently came out, designating more high risk WUI areas. - https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents.
- All Things Wildfire Podcast - https://allthingswildfire.com/
- Wildfire Prepared Website - https://wildfireprepared.org/
Mike Thayer's linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-thayer-wms/
Previous Episode
Demystifying Trustee Liability Risk and Wealth Transfer Vehicles with Judy Pearson, CEO of Nomadx
In this episode of the Private Client Risk and Resilience podcast, your host Kurt Thoennessen welcomes Judy Pearson from Nomadx, a trusted name in the world of trustee liability insurance. Judy shares her expertise on trustee liability exposure and complex wealth transfer vehicles, shedding light on an increasingly crucial topic in the realm of asset protection and estate planning. As clients seek advice on safeguarding their wealth through trusts and LLCs, Judy delves into the nuances of these structures, their responsibilities, and the fiduciary duties that come with them. You'll gain valuable insights into the need for specialized insurance solutions, the complexities of trustee roles, and the importance of cybersecurity preparedness in the trustee space. Listen in to explore this compelling discussion and discover how to address trustee liability with the right coverage and insights. To learn more about trustee liability and how to get in touch with Judy Pearson, visit the Nomadx website https://www.balanceuw.com/nomadx or reach out to Judy directly via email [email protected] or by phone (303-917-7776).
Next Episode
UK Private Client Insurance Landscape and the Value of International Networking with Giles Greenfield, CEO of Markham Private Client
In the latest episode of "Private Client Risk & Resilience," Kurt Thoennessen, CAPI, a Personal Risk Advisor at Ericson Insurance Advisors and CEO of RiskRevu, sat down with Giles Greenfield, CEO of Markham Private Client, for an in-depth exploration of the private client insurance market across the UK and the US.
Thoennessen kicked off the episode by introducing himself and expressing his enthusiasm about having Giles Greenfield as a guest, someone he met at the Private Risk Management Association Summit.
The conversation quickly delved into the nitty-gritty of the UK's private client insurance landscape. Greenfield provided valuable insights, drawing parallels and disparities between the UK and US markets. They discussed how international relationships among UK and US brokers significantly streamline communication, trust levels, and improve insurance program design for high net worth and ultra high net worth clients with properties interests in both countries.
A major focus of the discussion was the comparison in coverage and underwriting approaches between the two countries. The absence of umbrella liability policies in the UK, as noted by Giles, underscored the UK's less litigious nature compared to its US counterpart.
Both Thoennessen and Greenfield addressed pressing concerns brokers face in their respective regions, particularly the challenges surrounding escape of water incidents. These incidents, especially concerning historical or listed properties, were highlighted as significant hurdles for clients and insurers.
Overall, this podcast episode offers a comprehensive analysis of the private client insurance market. It not only emphasized the nuances between the UK and US markets but also underscored the pivotal role of international relationships. Furthermore, it shed light on the intricate challenges brokers encounter while addressing distinctive coverage issues in their respective regions.
Resources:
Markham Private Client - https://markhambrokers.com/
What is a listed building article - https://www.mansionglobal.com/library/listed-building
Wondeur AI - https://wondeur.ai/
Private Risk Management Association - https://www.privateriskmanagement.org/
Private Client Risk & Resilience - Preparing for Wildfire Risk with Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Mike Thayer
Transcript
Welcome to the private client risk and resilience podcast. My name is Kurt Thoennessen. And I am your host of this amazing show. In addition to this show, I am also a personal risk advisor at Ericsson insurance. And I'm the CEO of risk review, which is a software as a service platform that helps agents gather information from their clients and prospects in an efficient and modern way. So welcome to the show. Welcome back. For those of you who are new to the show. I'm
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