As a Los Altos Hills homeowner who treasures the open space that surrounds my neighborhood, I applaud the efforts of the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council to seek a grant to set up a South Bay Prescribed Burn Association. Prescribed burns reduce fuels, leading to less intense wildfires, along with other proven benefits, such as promoting the resilience of forest habitats.
A leading consumer group is proposing a policyholder rights initiative that would require insurers to offer coverage to California homeowners who fireproof their homes - or lose the right to sell home or auto insurance in the state for five years. The Insurance Policyholder Bill of Rights was filed with state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta's office last week by Consumer Watchdog, the Los Angeles advocacy group whose founder Harvey Rosenfield authored Proposition 103, the 1988 initiative that governs California insurance law.
