This parcel sits in a High severity zone under the 2024 California Fire Hazard Severity Zone map. The classification is driven by vegetation type (mixed oak woodland), slope (8–15%), and fire weather frequency (avg. 14 red-flag days/year).
"High is not Very High. Most carriers will still write you, the premium will be elevated but workable, and a documented mitigation plan brings it down further. This is the most common classification in Murphys proper — completely manageable."
Most of the property is already compliant. The wooden deck within 5 ft is the only structural item. The oak limbs and ladder fuels are typical seasonal maintenance for any property at this elevation. None of this is dealbreaking — it's a normal part of foothills ownership.
| Address | Zone | Sqft | Sold | Premium found | Carrier | Days · close |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 217 Algiers St · Murphys | High | 2,640 | $1,220,000 | $4,840 / yr | ACSC · admitted | 34 d |
| 2110 Big Trees Rd · Murphys | High | 3,120 | $1,485,000 | $5,720 / yr | Markel · E&S | 52 d |
| 805 Pennsylvania Gulch · Murphys | High | 2,420 | $985,000 | $5,160 / yr | FAIR + DIC | 41 d |
| 4242 Blue Lake Springs · Arnold | Mod | 2,840 | $895,000 | $2,890 / yr | Mercury · admitted | 22 d |
| 118 Ridgeway Dr · Murphys | VHigh | 2,980 | $1,310,000 | $8,640 / yr | Lloyd's · E&S | 78 d |
No proprietary scoring. No marketing magic. Everything here is sourced, dated, and updated on a known cadence — so you can decide how much weight to give it.
The Fire Hazard Severity Zone classification comes straight from the 2024 update of the California State Responsibility Area maps. Updated whenever Cal Fire updates them — typically every 5 years.
Source · osfm.fire.ca.gov
Sourced from anonymized policies tied to recent comparable sales in our book and three partner brokerages. We update the median every quarter. Your actual quote will vary based on credit, claims history, and bundling.
Source · Legacy + partner book
Pulled from the current PRC 4291 / SB 38 statutory requirements plus the Safer From Wildfires regulator framework. Items flagged from a high-altitude review of the parcel — a real inspection may surface more.
Source · CalFire + CDI
This is decision-support, not a binder. Get a real underwriting quote before you close. Sara can introduce you to two independent brokers who actually write foothills risk — she has no financial relationship with either.
Updated · April 14, 2026
Last updated: July 2026 — insurance terms change; confirm current pricing with a licensed agent.
No. The California Department of Insurance has stated that CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps do not themselves determine insurance rates or availability. Carriers use their own proprietary wildfire models, so two homes in the same zone can be quoted very differently. The CAL FIRE map is a planning and building tool, not an insurance rating tool — a distinction competitors routinely get wrong.
As of mid-2026, the California FAIR Plan — the state's insurer of last resort — averages just over $3,000 per year statewide, and in high-hazard foothill areas of Calaveras and Amador counties it commonly runs $5,000 to $12,000. A FAIR Plan policy usually needs a 'difference in conditions' (DIC) wrap for liability and water damage, which typically adds another 25 to 60 percent. Figures change, so quote early.
Under California's Sustainable Insurance Strategy, several carriers — including Mercury, CSAA and Travelers — have expanded writing in higher-risk areas. State Farm General remained closed to new California homeowner business as of May 2026. CSAA's Northern California FAIR Plan depopulation program offers home-hardening discounts of up to 12.5 percent for qualifying homes.
Yes. Updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps took effect for State Responsibility Areas on April 1, 2024, with Local Responsibility Area maps phased in through 2025. The statewide area rated High or Very High rose roughly 168 percent versus the prior 2011 maps, so a parcel's designation may have changed even though the parcel did not. Always confirm the current zone with the CAL FIRE address lookup.
Yes, but it is time-limited. After the TCU September Lightning Complex fire — which began September 2, 2025 and burned 13,869 acres, destroying 95 structures — Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara ordered a one-year moratorium barring insurers from non-renewing policies across 39 ZIP codes and roughly 124,000 homes in Calaveras, Tuolumne, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Mariposa and Merced counties. That protection is set to expire around September 19, 2026, so owners in those ZIP codes should review coverage well before then.
Look up the parcel's hazard zone with the CAL FIRE address lookup, get an insurance quote early in escrow rather than after, ask specifically about FAIR Plan plus DIC wrap pricing, and complete defensible space and home-hardening to qualify for available discounts. Treat insurance as a contingency with the same weight as the inspection.
Sara Cooper, Broker at Legacy Properties (CA DRE #02141987), walks foothill buyers through fire-zone and insurance reality across Calaveras, Amador and Tuolumne counties. Reach Sara at (209) 559-4966.
Sources: CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones · CDI Sustainable Insurance Strategy · CDI moratorium (Sept 2025) · Insurance Journal — FAIR Plan.