Recovering Against PG&E for Dixie Fire Timber Losses

The overwhelming majority of the nearly one million acres burned by the Dixie Fire so far has been forest land. To those from outside the area, a burned forest equates to no damages.  But to anyone who has spent any time the area, it’s clear that the trees lost to the Dixie Fire hold great value. Not only do trees lend the area its special character, but they hold monetary value for their timber.

Inexperienced wildfire attorneys often view timber losses too simplistically. For example, they may believe that an owner of timber property will be fully compensated if the owner receives from PG&E the market value of the timber that was destroyed.  But the best lawyers know that timber loss claims present some of the most complex issues when assessing wildfire damages. The many components to timber damages to be considered include:

• The value of the timber itself
• The damage to the soil
• The cost already incurred in growing the timber
• The expected profit from the sale of timber
• The value of the land before and after timber loss
• Post-fire erosion caused by unimpeded rainfall and runoff
• Weed abatement
• Soil remediation
• The expense associated with clearing burned trees
• Lot cleanup
• The cost of replanting trees that were burned
• The cost of protecting and tending to new trees until they are self-sustaining

So what should you do today if you have timber losses? The first thing is to start tracking all of your expenses associated with the damage. Take wide angle photos showing the extent of the damage. Do what you can to protect your property from any further damage, especially that that may be caused by winter rains. Speak with a Dixie Fire attorney from Danko Meredith in order assess your exact situation.