Northern California wildfire destroys 50 structures

At least 50 structures have been destroyed by the Ponderosa Fire in Northern California, which has burned more than 33 square miles, reports the U.S. Forest Service.

Nearly 1,900 firefighters are assigned to the fire that was caused by lightning last Saturday. The fire is located in Shasta and Tehama counties and at one point was threatening more than 3,500 homes in the towns of Shingletown, Manton and Viola. Fire officials have since reduced the number of threatened homes to 200, reports the Redding Record Searchlight. 

The damage caused by the fire is still being assessed, although the majority of damage appears to be to homes in the rural community of Manton. Meanwhile, the fire is 40 percent contained, but the growth potential is “extreme,” according to the U.S. Forest Service. 

Determine your home’s vulnerability to wildfires by using the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s (IBHS) Wildfire Home Assessment & Checklist. Not only will the checklist help you identify possible wildfire risks, the checklist also provides a cost estimator that helps you prioritize which ones will work within your budget. 

For additional wildfire resources, please visit IBHS’ DisasterSafety.org.