Claims News Service, June 26, 4:39 p.m. EST- California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has issued a statement concerning the damages caused by the fires in the Lake Tahoe area.

According to the California Department of Insurance, Commissioner Poizner has deployed initial response teams to perform damage assessments with the State Fire Marshal and dispatched his Disaster Fraud Response Team to work with local law enforcement and to make property owners aware of the potential for scam artists such as unlicensed public adjusters or contractors.

“The Lake Tahoe blaze has destroyed homes and left neighborhoods in ruin. This fire is a harsh reminder of the dangerous conditions that make the 2007 fire season potentially disastrous for California. The amount of damage caused by this wildfire is still being assessed, and I have dispatched key members of my staff to the area to equip local residents to help them recover from this disaster as quickly as possible,” said Poizner in a release.