Wildfires broke out across Los Angeles and Riverside counties in southern California on Thursday, forcing roughly 100,000 residents to evacuate and burning nearly 8,000 acres by Sunday. Dubbed the Saddleridge Fire, the blaze destroyed dozens of homes, killed two people, and resulted in widespread power outages that left more than 2 million California residents in the dark. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Friday and evacuation orders were made for 23,000 Los Angeles-area homes. On Sunday, Newsom reported Cal Fire and local firefighters doused more than 300 blazes across the state last week. As the Saddleridge Fire burned, in northern California, strong winds topping 70 mph fueled concerns over a possible wildfire outbreak, prompting PG&E to turn the lights off for nearly 2 million northern residents as a preventative measure. The vast majority of customers who were affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoff had power restored within 48 hours, PG&E said. By Sunday, all evacuation orders had been lifted and firefighters reported 42% of the Saddleridge Fire had been contained at 7,965 acres.

Evacuation costs covered by ALE

On Friday, as fires burned and evacuation orders were issued for 100,000 residents, the California Department of Insurance (DOI) published a release detailing important information about insurance coverage for evacuation and relocation costs. Residents who were issued evacuation orders may have additional living expense coverage (ALE) included with their homeowner or renter insurance policies to help with evacuation and relocation costs. Policyholders may be entitled to this coverage even if their homes are not damaged or destroyed, and added that in many cases, no deductible is required. "Additional living expense coverage can help ease the financial and emotional toll an evacuation has on affected residents," Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in a statement. "The department is urging evacuees to contact their insurer to verify their ALE coverage provision, limits and learn about requirements to use the coverage." Lara advised residents to keep all receipts and document the date, time and names of any insurance company employees they contact regarding coverage and details of the conversation. The release also provided contact information and resources for residents, and advised evacuees to contact their insurance agent or the Department of Insurance for assistance.

Tips for evacuees from the DOI

To simplify instructions, the California DOI outlined a few important tips for affected residents:

• Keep all receipts accrued during the evacuation.
• Policy provisions, including deductibles, vary by company, residents should check with their insurer or agent as soon as possible to confirm coverage, limits, and any other limitations and documentation requirements. Most renters' policies also typically include ALE coverage.
• Consumers should make sure any insurance agent or public adjuster offering their services has a valid license by checking online with the Department of Insurance.
• Public adjusters cannot solicit business for seven calendar days after the disaster.
• Don't forget copies of insurance policies, important papers and a photo or video inventory of your possessions. An inventory can be completed quickly and easily on your smart phone and safely stored in the Cloud.

See also:

• Thousands of residents evacuated in Southern California wildfire
• Everything you need in your emergency 'go' bag
• Four insurer tips to help homeowners navigate wildfire recovery