The Fires Northern California Is Rebuilding From
CAL FIRE's incident records describe the scale. The Camp Fire in Butte County destroyed 18,804 structures in 2018. The Tubbs Fire destroyed 5,636 structures in Napa and Sonoma counties in 2017, and the Carr Fire destroyed 1,614 structures in Shasta and Trinity counties in 2018. The Dixie Fire burned across five counties in 2021 and destroyed 1,311 structures, the Caldor Fire began south of Grizzly Flats in El Dorado County and destroyed 1,005 structures and the 2020 Creek Fire destroyed 856 structures near Shaver Lake, Big Creek and Huntington Lake. The 2024 Park Fire destroyed 713 structures in Butte and Tehama counties.
The coverage map for any rebuild is in our guide to wildfire and disaster rebuild insurance.
Paradise: Pre-Approved Plans and a Long Rebuild
Years after the Camp Fire, the Town of Paradise continues to publish rebuild guides for single-family and manufactured homes and a pre-approved Master Plan program with a site-specific checklist. Pre-approved plans can shorten design and review for builders working on several lots, which is relevant to a contractor or developer taking on a group of homes. Each lot still needs its own site review, and lenders set their own insurance terms.
Building several homes at once ties back to residential general contractor insurance.
Park Fire Recovery in Butte and Tehama Counties
The Park Fire started in July 2024 near Chico and burned through Butte and Tehama counties. Tehama County adopted Urgency Ordinance No. 2140 to let displaced residents live in temporary housing on their own property while they rebuild, which can put occupied temporary units on the same parcel as an active rebuild. Contractors working those sites account for occupants near the work in their liability program and site safety plans.
For larger rebuild contracts, see project-specific liability insurance.
Sierra and Foothill Cabin Communities
The Caldor Fire's start near Grizzly Flats and the Creek Fire around Shaver Lake, Big Creek and Huntington Lake affected mountain and cabin communities with limited access and seasonal weather. Rebuilding there brings the same issues as Southern California mountain areas: wildland-urban interface construction standards, staged deliveries, materials stored off site and steep grading. Builders risk that covers transit and off-site storage, and pollution coverage for grading near drainages, are commonly part of the program.
The same mountain issues in the south are explained in coverage for mountain cabin rebuilds.
Coverage for Northern California Rebuilds
Northern California rebuilds typically combine builders risk written for the fire peril in high hazard areas, contractors pollution liability for debris and grading on burned sites, general liability and, for larger programs, project-specific or wrap-up structures. Public agencies rebuilding roads and utilities usually require performance and payment bonds on construction contracts.
Property terms for rebuilds are explained in builders risk for wildfire rebuild projects.
Before You Ask for a Quote
What to Gather
- The local rebuild program and plan path for each lot
- Lender requirements for each home
- Debris and soil documentation for each site
- Your builders risk, GL and pollution forms
- Subcontractor certificates and licenses
What to Ask the Insurer or Surety
- Will a reporting-form builders risk policy fit several homes starting at different times?
- Is the fire peril written at these addresses, and on what terms?
- Does our GL exclude pollution from grading burned soil?
- How do occupied temporary units on a parcel affect our liability program?
Quick Answer
Northern California fire rebuilds, from Paradise to Sierra cabin communities, typically combine local rebuild programs with builders risk written for the fire peril, contractors pollution liability and general liability, plus bonds on public repair contracts.
Common Mistake
Treating a multi-lot rebuild like one project. Homes start at different times, so a reporting-form builders risk policy and per-lot site reviews are usually needed.
Broker Perspective
For multi-lot rebuilds we look at reporting-form builders risk and per-lot certificates early, since lenders review each home separately.
Coverage Impact
Builders risk fire and earth movement terms and pollution exclusions in liability policies largely decide what responds on a burned-site rebuild; the issued forms control.
The Same Requirement in Other States
Questions Buyers Ask
Does Paradise offer pre-approved house plans?
The Town of Paradise publishes rebuild guides and a pre-approved Master Plan program with a site-specific checklist. Each lot still needs its own review.
Can Park Fire survivors live on their property while rebuilding?
Tehama County's Urgency Ordinance No. 2140 allows temporary housing on the property for residents displaced by the Park Fire while they rebuild, which contractors account for in site safety and liability planning.
What insurance does a builder need for several fire rebuilds at once?
Typically builders risk that can add homes as they start, general liability, contractors pollution liability for burned sites and any coverage each lender requires. Larger programs may justify a wrap-up.
Which Northern California fires are still driving rebuilds?
CAL FIRE records include the Camp, Tubbs, Carr, Dixie, Caldor, Creek and Park fires, among others, with rebuilding continuing at different stages in each area.
Official Sources
- Camp Fire incident, CAL FIRE. Butte County, November 2018; 153,336 acres; 18,804 structures destroyed. Verified 2026-10-25.
- Park Fire incident, CAL FIRE. Butte and Tehama counties, July 2024; 429,603 acres; 713 structures destroyed. Verified 2026-10-25.
- Dixie Fire incident, CAL FIRE. Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama counties, July 2021; 963,309 acres; 1,311 structures destroyed. Verified 2026-10-25.
- Caldor Fire incident, CAL FIRE. El Dorado, Alpine and Amador counties, August 2021, starting south of Grizzly Flats; 1,005 structures destroyed. Verified 2026-10-25.
- Creek Fire incident, CAL FIRE. Fresno and Madera counties, September 2020, near Shaver Lake, Big Creek and Huntington Lake; 856 structures destroyed. Verified 2026-10-25.
- Carr Fire incident, CAL FIRE. Shasta and Trinity counties, July 2018; 1,614 structures destroyed. Verified 2026-10-25.
- Tubbs Fire (Central LNU Complex) incident, CAL FIRE. Napa and Sonoma counties, October 2017; 5,636 structures destroyed. Verified 2026-10-25.
- Rebuild guides, Town of Paradise. Single-family and manufactured-home rebuild guides and the pre-approved Master Plan program checklists. Verified 2026-10-25.
- Urgency Ordinance No. 2140 (temporary housing after the Park Fire), County of Tehama. Lets residents displaced by the Park Fire live in temporary housing on their property while they rebuild. Verified 2026-10-25.
Reviewed by the Principal, Gleason Insurance Brokers, LLCUpdated
