Boutique luxury real estate · Calaveras · Amador · Tuolumne (209) 559-4966  ·  SaraSellsCalifornia@gmail.com
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Fire-zone
& insurance
reality check.

Paste any Calaveras, Amador or Tuolumne address. We pull the Cal Fire severity zone, the FAIR Plan likelihood, the defensible-space requirement, and what comparable homes are actually paying for coverage — so the most important number in your buying decision isn't a surprise.

3CA counties covered
8k+Parcels indexed
~24moPremium quote freshness
Step 01 · Address Encrypted · never stored
Property address
Sq ft
Year built
Construction
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Report · April 14, 2026

433 E Highway 4 · Murphys, CA 95247

2,840 sqft · Built 1998 · Elevation 2,140 ft · Parcel 009-178-022
§ I · Cal Fire severity zone FHSZ · 2024 update
HIGH
3 of 4 Fire Hazard Severity Zone · High SRA — State Responsibility Area
Moderate
High
Very High
Wildland

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).

Sara's read

"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."

§ II · The parcel in context FHSZ overlay · 1:8000
HWY 4 → SHEEP RANCH RD → YOUR PARCEL N 0 0.5 mi
Moderate · CA-CAL
High · this parcel
Very High · 0.4 mi NE
§ III · What it costs to insure this property Quotes from comparable parcels · last 24 months
Most likely admitted carrier
Auto-Club ACSC
High zone · 78% accept rate
$4,200 – $5,800 / yr
If you have an existing AAA auto bundle and the home has Class A roof, this is the realistic path. Expect a 2024-style underwriting walk.
Surplus-lines fallback
Lloyd's / Markel
Available · non-renewable risk
$6,500 – $9,400 / yr
Higher cost, broader coverage. Used when admitted carriers decline. Sara has placed 11 of these in Murphys in the last 18 months.
CA FAIR Plan + DIC wrap
FAIR + DIC supplement
Backstop · last resort
$5,100 + DIC $1,400 / yr
Fire-only FAIR coverage paired with a "Difference in Conditions" wrap for liability and water. Practical, well-trodden.
Median annual premium for parcels at this severity
$5,400 +18% YoY
Premium delta vs. comparable Moderate-zone parcel
+$2,100 / yr over 30 yrs · ~$63k
Mitigation discount available with documented plan
8–15% off avg. $620 / yr saved
§ IV · What's required, what helps PRC 4291 · SB 38 · CA Safer From Wildfires

Zone 0 · 0–5 ft

Required by 2026 · ember-resistant zone
  • No combustible mulch, plants, or stored items within 5 ft of the structure
  • 1/8-inch metal ember screens on all vents
  • ! Wooden deck within 5 ft — needs replacement or hardening
  • Class A roof rating · composite shingle in good condition

Zone 1 · 5–30 ft

Required · lean, clean & green
  • Tree canopies trimmed 10 ft from structures
  • Dead vegetation cleared annually by June 1
  • ! Two large oak limbs over the roof — recommend pruning
  • Defensible-space inspection passed Sept 2024

Zone 2 · 30–100 ft

Required on SRA · "reduce fuel"
  • Grass mowed to 4 inches or less in fire season
  • ! Ladder fuels present in oak grove · ~$1,800 to clear
  • 10 ft horizontal spacing between tree canopies
  • Driveway: 12 ft clear width, 13.5 ft vertical · meets fire access

Beyond 100 ft

Optional · meaningful insurance lever
  • Community Fire Safe Council membership · $50/yr
  • Goat grazing in dry months · 1.5 ac/season · ~$400
  • Home Hardening · 20-pt audit · $150 inspection fee
  • Firewise USA community status · 5–8% premium discount
Bottom line

3 items to address · approx. $8,400 one-time & recurring annual maintenance under $1,200.

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.

Get Sara's punch list →
§ V · Real comps from this severity tier Closed last 24 months · within 4 mi
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
How this tool works

Plain about
where the data comes from.

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.

01

Cal Fire FHSZ

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
02

Premium estimates

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
03

Mitigation checklist

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
04

The disclaimer

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
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Adjacent tools

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commute calculator.

Insurance is one of two foothills numbers buyers under-budget for. The other is your time-of-day drive to the Bay. Our commute tool runs morning peak, mid-day, and Friday-afternoon scenarios — same address.