Finding your way forward after wildfire damage.

Make progress while you are away from the property

Start with records you already have: earlier home photos, an inventory, purchase receipts and communications. Keep a list of rooms or belongings you have not been able to check. Mark those entries “access not yet available” rather than treating them as confirmed losses.

Organize records by property area and date. Keep the original files and a separate list of questions for the people handling your recovery. You do not need to enter the property to begin this step.

Permission to return is not a complete property assessment

Follow the responding authorities’ instructions about re-entry. Fire-affected areas may contain hazardous debris, unstable structures and other dangers. Do not disturb ash or debris to obtain a better photograph.

A visible record cannot determine whether a building, its air or its contents are safe. Ask an appropriately qualified professional what assessment is suitable, what it will cover and what remains outside its scope.

Keep decisions and evidence distinct

Label what you personally observed, what another person reported and what a professional concluded. Save written findings with the name and scope of the provider. Use your project to organize the file; share only the records the intended recipient needs.

Use the documentation checklist →

Compare inspection types →