Wildfire Damage Assessment
Every year, wildfires burn millions of acres of land across the world. From the United States to Indonesia, Brazil, and parts of Australia, these fires account for billions of dollars in damaged property. According to the Congressional Research Service, over the past 10 years, there has been an average of 62,693 wildfires annually in the U.S. alone, impacting an average of 7.5 million acres each year.1
Burning wildfires have caused significant loss of life, destroyed entire communities, and uprooted families. Additionally, the severity, occurrence, and cost of wildfires are increasing every year. This can include devastating impacts on soils and vegetation and results in an evolving environmental disaster. The effects of wildfires don't stay around only for the fire season. Burn scars and subsequent rain have resulted in mudslides that have also caused the loss of life and severely impacted the environment and neighborhoods.
Wildfire Origin and Cause Investigation
Understanding the cause and plotting the progression of a wildfire is essential in the fire investigation. How weather or terrain can affect the movement of the fire and if structures are built within high-risk areas and built with code-compliant material can all provide insight on how to conduct insurance claims investigations and will help determine potential liability or subrogation opportunities.
Because there are many factors that can affect the ignition and spread of these fires, it is vital to secure qualified and experienced wildfire investigative experts early to provide you with clear, complete, convincing, and conclusive data. Seeing the whole picture is what a client needs to make educated decisions.
Wildfire Investigation Experts
Following a catastrophic wildfire, Envista's team of highly trained wildfire origin and cause experts are available for immediate wildfire response globally. Our experts have the ability to conduct comprehensive origin and cause investigations and are experienced with:
- 3D image site documentation
- Data collection and analysis
- Fuel condition analysis
- Interviewing witnesses
- Weather condition analysis
- Complex wildfire investigation management
- Fire spread factors
- Identification of fire pattern indicators
- Topography review
Envista's experts are equipped with the experience, tools, and technology to present aerial and ground photographs, as well as videos of the post-wildfire damage. Our experts can obtain and review local and state agency fire reports and related documents. Envista Forensics also offers computer fire modeling services that recreate the event to illustrate the ignition and development of the fire.
1Wildfire Statistics (fas.org)
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