Consider Flood Insurance for your property!

Consider buying flood insurance if you live below or near a burned drainage or other area where rain or snowmelt might cause a flood.

Many private properties below where the Cedar Creek fire burned this summer - in Mazama and along Highway 20 and Wolf Creek Rd are at risk for flooding now that there is no longer as much vegetation on those slopes and in those drainages. Burned soil is not able to hold as much water as it would have before the wildfire.

This last weekend, we had a flash flood warning. After several previous major wildfires, there was significant flooding seen. Be prepared!

Flood fact sheet (PDF)

Flood risk increases after a wildfire

Normally, there is a 30-day waiting period before a flood insurance policy takes effect. However, there is an exception - with conditions - after a wildfire.

By law, there is generally a 30-day waiting period from the date of purchase until flood insurance coverage takes effect with very few exceptions.

Referred to as the Post-Wildfire Exception¹, the standard 30-day waiting period does not apply to new policies if, at the time of your flood loss, all of the following criteria are met:

• The covered property experiences damage caused by flood that originated on federal land; and
• Post-wildfire conditions on federal land caused or worsened the flooding; and
• The policyholder purchased the policy either:
  (a) Before the fire containment date; or
  (b) During the 60-calendar-day period following the fire containment date