DENVER (KDVR) — Residents in and near the Alexander Mountain Fire area are urged to buy flood insurance right now, with the state advising that there may be an exception to speed up when the policy takes effect.
As monsoon season hits the Front Range , so comes the risk of flash floods along wildfire burn scars. That includes the more than 9,600-acre Alexander Mountain Fire burn scar in Larimer County.
“In the aftermath of wildfires like the Alexander Mountain Fire, there is a greater threat of flooding because of the damage to the terrain as the fire has removed vegetation that would normally absorb rainfall and runoff,” the Colorado Division of Insurance said in a release.
How to speed up new flood insurance coverage
Basic homeowners insurance does not include flood protections, which require a separate policy that normally takes 30 days to go into effect, according to the state. But an exception is possible if the following conditions are met:
- The insured property is privately owned, meaning that it is property not owned by a federal, state, local, territorial, or tribal government.
- Post-wildfire conditions on federal lands caused or worsened the flooding.
- The policyholder purchased the new, additional, or increased coverage either before the fire containment date or during the 60-calendar-day period following the fire containment date.