HOUSTON (CW39) Drought levels are higher, more properties are at extreme risk and the 2021 wildfire season is already forecast to be worse than previous years.
Analysts at QuoteWizard found that 7.2% of properties in Texas are facing extreme wildfire risk this year. And that 39.6% of Texas is already experiencing severe, extreme or exceptional drought – that`s 31.9 percentage points higher than this time last year.
High levels of drought are especially concerning given the growing number of wildfire disaster declarations. QuoteWizard found there were 363 FEMA Wildfire Disaster declarations from 1980-1999 and 2,016 from 2000 – 2019.
This uptick is especially noticeable in Texas and California where many of the country’s wildfires take place.
States with the most wildfire risk and damage
| State | % of state properties at extreme wildfire risk | % of state experiencing severe drought in 2021 | FEMA wildfire disaster declarations since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Montana | 28.50% | 18.70% | 126 |
| 2. Idaho | 26.20% | 5.50% | 34 |
| 3. Colorado | 16.90% | 61.70% | 138 |
| 4. California | 15.00% | 77.00% | 321 |
| 5. New Mexico | 14.60% | 99.40% | 53 |
| 6. Wyoming | 14.10% | 46.50% | 20 |
| 7. Utah | 13.90% | 98.10% | 32 |
| 8. Oklahoma | 9.20% | 8.50% | 190 |
| 9. Oregon | 9.00% | 42.60% | 81 |
| 10. Arizona | 8.50% | 94.60% | 62 |
More info at https://quotewizard.com/home-insurance/how-does-homeowners-insurance-cover-wildfire-damage-and-destruction
