Last week's fires in Southern California provoked the government's biggest disaster response mobilization since the 2005 hurricane that flooded New Orleans and devastated the Gulf Coast, according to FederalTimes.com.

As the fires continue, the region has been declared a disaster area.

As of yesterday, the state Office of Emergency Services tallied 2,767 structures destroyed. The number included 2,013 homes, an office spokesperson told The Associated Press. Property damages exceed $1 billion. All together, the fires thus far have burned more than 500,000 acres in the Southern California region. Twelve deaths and 78 injuries are attributed to the wildfires, reports nearby University of California-Santa Barbara's Daily Nexus.

The state's insurance commission says it is "the worst disaster in California history," National Public Radio (NPR) reports.

"The cope of the infernos was immense and was reminiscent of blazes that tore through Southern California four years ago this month, killing 22 and destroying 3,640 homes," according to AP.

As communities continue to face devastation and uncertainty at the hands of wildfire in Southern California, "the property-casualty insurance industry has mobilized, and is prepared to do its part to help victims recover as quickly as possible," according to an announcement from the American Insurance Association. "Currently, Californians are focused on finding safety and stability in the face of disaster and every indication is that insurers are working diligently to provide financial assistance, comfort and logistical support to those who have lost their homes or have been displaced."

This decade's two huge fires could lead to smarter home and commercial building habits.

James Smalley of Firewise, a national nonprofit group, told NPR that homes with wood shingles and other combustible materials "help turn wildfires into regional disasters."

According to the NPR report:

Some have dried-out wooden roofs that burst into flames when embers land on them. Others have incendiary decks and unscreened vents that let embers float all the way into the house, like great, big floating matches. Smalley does not think it should be legal to build homes like these in Southern California anymore, especially [because] there are virtually fireproof alternative building materials available at every hardware store. Could be tile, could be slate, Smalley says of the alternatives. There's concrete and other kinds of composites that could be used for decking and siding as well.

The extra cost to use fireproof materials ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 per home. Regarding people who refuse to pay the extra amount, Smalley noted, "they're just not motivated until it's too late."

(For Firewise tips for homeowners, click HERE.)

For some people, the use of less expensive building materials or smaller homes may begin to seem more appealing because the price of building materials has risen substantially in just four years. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune:

Lofty construction prices will test whether many of last week's fire victims are adequately insured — a contentious issue following the 2003 Cedar and Paradise fires that destroyed 2,600 homes. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, residential building costs in Western states were 35 percent higher in 2006 than they were in 2003, when the Cedar and Paradise fires destroyed 2,600 homes in San Diego. "Since 2003, we're probably looking at direct cost increases — the sticks and bricks to put it together — in the range of 35 to 45 percent," said Steve Doyle, San Diego division chief for Brookfield Homes. "It has softened a bit in the last 12 months, but that's mostly on the labor side."

As of this morning, two more fires in San Diego County were declared 100 percent contained yesterday, the latest good news for Southern California as it enters its second week dealing with this outbreak of wildfires that has destroyed more than half a million acres across seven counties.

Editor's Note: Many of our readers and clients have been directly affected by the wildfires in southern California. As part of our effort to help, the IMT staff would like to direct all those wishing to offer their support to the Salvation Army Web site. Specify 2007 California Wildfires.

Further, we advise anyone sourcing companies in the southern California area to recognize the potential impact of this crisis on local businesses.

Resources

Calif. fires are biggest federal response since Katrina
by Stephen Losey
FederalTimes.com, Oct. 29, 2007

California Fire Victims Take Time to Reflect
by The Associated Press (via MSNBC), Oct. 29, 2007

Half a Million People Flee as Wildfires Continue to Torch SoCal Homes
by Allison Hoffman and Gillian Flaccus
AP (via SFGate.com), Oct. 23, 2007

'Marketplace' Report: A Billion-Dollar Disaster
National Public Radio, Oct. 24, 2007

Q&A with Michael Chertoff
The San Diego Union-Tribune, Oct. 26, 2007

Racicot to So-Cal Wildfire Victims: Insurers Are Eager to Help
American Insurance Association, Oct. 24, 2007

Wildfires Renew Call for Fireproof Homes
by John Nielsen
NPR, Oct. 26, 2007

Will Insurance Be Enough to Rebuild?
by Mike Freeman
The San Diego Union-Tribune, Oct. 28, 2007

Firewise.org Offers Information for Protecting Homes and Communities From Wildfire
Press Release (via Earth Times), Oct. 22, 2007

The Southern California Fires
by Tami Abdollah, Ashley Powers, Michael Muska, AP
The Los Angeles Times (via San Francisco Chronicle), Oct. 29, 2007