Thousands of residents evacuated in Southern California wildfire

Despite efforts from utilities giant PG&E to prevent California wildfires, one broke out overnight in Southern California. Dubbed the Saddleridge Fire, the blaze started in Sylmar, northwest of Los Angeles, on the night of Thurs., Oct. 10, CBS News reports. By 7:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, the fire burned more than 4,700 acres.

According to CNN, at least 25 homes have been damaged, and about 23,000 homes, equating to approximately 100,00 residents, have been notified to evacuate. Many parts of the region remain under red-flag warnings into Friday afternoon.

Fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds, the Saddleridge Fire is just one of the several blazes in California on Friday. Multiple fires are affecting more than 700 acres in Riverside County, CNN reports, destroying multiple structures.

The communities being affected by the Saddleridge Fire are not areas under PG&E’s power blackout, says NBC News, which put about 800,000 customers into darkness across Northern California. Many of those areas are still without power Friday morning, as PG&E continues its efforts to avert a possible fire.

Resources for wildfire evacuees

For the residents being ordered to evacuate, the California Department of Insurance is urging them to evaluate their homeowners or renters insurance policies to see if evacuation and recovery expenses are covered under “additional living expense coverage” or “ALE.” ALE can help cover food and housing costs, furniture rental, relocation and storage, and extra transportation expenses, often with no deductible.

“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. “It is crucial that residents are aware of all the resources available to them. I encourage evacuees to contact their insurance agent or the Department of Insurance for assistance.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include information from the Calif. Department of Insurance.

Related: 

• Everything you need in your emergency ‘go’ bag
• Four insurer tips to help homeowners navigate wildfire recovery
• How businesses can minimize their wildfire risk, from Allianz and I.I.I.