Wildfire Strikes El Paso County: What to Do Next

When a wildfire hits El Paso County, many property owners are left unsure what to do first and how their insurance will respond. You may be facing damage to your home, barns, fencing, wells, trees, and land all at once, while also trying to keep your family and animals safe.

This guide explains, in simple steps, what to do after a wildfire, what your options are for handling your claim, when to take action, and how to get a clear property loss assessment so you are treated fairly by your insurance company.

Your Immediate Problem After a Wildfire

After the fire, most property owners face three urgent problems:

• Staying safe and getting back onto the property only when it is allowed
• Covering basic needs like temporary housing, food, and clothing
• Understanding how much damage the fire and smoke actually caused to your home, land, and outbuildings so you can make a solid insurance claim

El Paso County wildfire insurance claims are more complex than a simple kitchen leak or hailstorm, especially when you have wells, long fence lines, trees, pastures, and agricultural structures.

First 72 Hours After a Wildfire in El Paso County

Your first job is safety, not paperwork. Wait for official clearance from El Paso County and fire authorities before returning. Even when the flames are out, there can be hot spots and hidden hazards.

On rural acreage and larger properties, watch for extra risks such as:

• Damaged wells, pumps, and electrical lines  
• Live embers in barns, sheds, and hay storage  
• Burned or leaning fencing along roads or steep areas  
• Weakened trees that can fall later, especially near structures and driveways  

Once everyone is safe and you have basic shelter, contact your insurer to report the wildfire and get a claim number. Then start a simple loss diary. Write down:

• Dates and times of conversations  
• Names of insurance representatives  
• Photos and videos you take  
• Receipts for lodging, food, clothing, and emergency supplies  

Most policies include Additional Living Expenses (ALE). In plain terms, ALE pays the reasonable extra costs of living somewhere else if your home is not safe or usable after the fire. That can include rent, higher fuel costs, or pet boarding, depending on your situation and your policy.

You are usually allowed to make short-term emergency repairs to prevent further damage, such as:

• Boarding up broken windows  
• Tarping burned roofing  
• Installing temporary fencing to secure livestock or pets  
• Pumping or testing wells for basic function or safety  

Avoid permanent repairs until the damage is fully documented and your insurer has had a chance to inspect. Early property loss assessment helps you catch hidden damage to wiring, smoke-affected finishes, and rural systems that might otherwise be missed.

Your Main Options After a Wildfire Loss

Most El Paso County property owners choose one of three basic paths:

1. Handle the claim yourself  

• You collect photos, videos, and lists of damage.  
• You work directly with the insurance company adjuster.  
• You review estimates and ask for corrections if something is missed.

2. Handle the claim yourself, then get help if problems appear  

• You start the claim and see the first estimate.  
• If the payment seems low or items are missing, you bring in additional support, such as a public adjuster or other professionals.

3. Get professional help early  

• A public adjuster or similar professional leads the documentation and property loss assessment from the start.  
• They prepare a detailed estimate and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.

Which option is best depends on the size of your loss, how comfortable you are with insurance language, and how much time and energy you can devote to the process while you recover.

When to Take Action: A Simple Timeline

Here is a straightforward guide to when to take key steps:

• Within the First 72 Hours: Focus on safety, report the claim, start your loss diary, and cover your basic needs with ALE if available.
• Within the First 1, 2 Weeks: Walk your property and structures with your phone on video. Take photos of the house, barns, shops, sheds, wells, fencing, and trees. Keep receipts for temporary housing, food, clothing, and emergency repairs.  

• When You Receive the First Estimate or Payment: Compare it to your own documentation. Check that wells, fencing, outbuildings, trees, and land issues are included. If the estimate feels too low or incomplete, consider a professional claim review.
• Before Starting Permanent Repairs: Make sure the full scope of damage is agreed to in writing. Confirm you understand your coverage and any limits that may apply.

Understanding Your El Paso County Wildfire Insurance Claim

Wildfire claims often touch many parts of your policy at once. Knowing the main coverages in simple terms helps you spot gaps.

Common coverages after wildfire include:

• Dwelling: The main house, attached garage, and built‑in features. Heat and smoke can damage roofing, siding, windows, and finishes even if flames never reached the walls.  
• Other Structures: Barns, shops, detached garages, loafing sheds, and agricultural outbuildings common on acreage.  
• Personal Property: Household contents, tools, equipment, and items stored in garages and outbuildings.  
• Loss of Use: Often pays for ALE like temporary housing, increased commuting, and costs like boarding animals or renting pasture if your land is temporarily unusable.

Rural properties in El Paso County often depend on systems that are easy to overlook in a quick inspection. Your claim should address:

• Wells and Water Systems: Pumps, pressure tanks, electrical lines, well houses, and any storage tanks. Heat and ash can affect equipment and water quality.  
• Fencing and Corrals: Perimeter fence lines, cross fencing, pens, and gates damaged by fire, falling trees, or firefighting activity.  
• Trees, Pasture, and Landscaping: Shade trees, windbreaks, ornamental trees, and ground cover that helped control erosion on slopes or along draws.

Local property loss assessment matters because construction styles, terrain, and typical rural improvements in El Paso County are not always fully understood by an insurer adjuster who is working from a standard checklist. Without a careful review, rural infrastructure, outbuildings, and tree losses can be undervalued or skipped entirely.

Documenting Fire, Smoke, and Rural Land Damage

Good documentation is your best tool for a fair settlement. Start outside and work your way in. Walk the property line and every structure with your phone on video, speaking out loud about what you see. Then add still photos.

Helpful documentation steps include:

• Photograph the house from all sides, then move to barns, shops, sheds, loafing sheds, and detached garages.  
• Take clear photos of wells, well houses, pressure tanks, and visible lines.  
• Walk fence lines and gates, capturing close‑ups of posts, wire, and burned or leaning trees along the boundary.  
• Record pastures, tree lines, and landscaping that were burned or heavily smoked.  

Label photos and folders by structure or area, such as “House,” “Barn,” “Shop,” “Well House,” “Perimeter Fence North,” or “Tree Line East.” For smoke damage, pay attention to soot on surfaces, attic spaces, insulation, and HVAC components that could spread contamination.

For acreage and outbuildings, it helps to sketch a simple map of your property. Mark:

• Damaged or missing fence sections and gates  
• Burned or compromised trees that will need removal  
• Every outbuilding and storage area with visible damage  

Create lists for contents lost in outbuildings, including tools, farm or ranch equipment, tack, feed, and stored inventory. When this documentation is organized, it becomes the foundation of a strong property loss assessment and a more accurate estimate. A room‑by‑room and structure‑by‑structure approach, including rural features like wells and fencing, usually leads to a clearer claim.

County‑Specific Recovery Issues: Wells, Fencing, Trees, and Land

In El Paso County, many properties depend on wells. Wildfire can damage well houses, electrical feeders, control panels, pressure systems, and storage tanks. Even if the equipment looks intact, ash and debris can affect water quality. Policies sometimes cover reasonable testing, cleanup, and replacement of damaged components when the loss is tied to the fire, so it is important to document both physical damage and any changes in water quality reports.

Fencing and corrals are another big factor on acreage. Burned fences along public roads, property lines, and pasture boundaries are both a safety and financial issue. You may need temporary fencing or to board animals offsite until permanent repairs are completed. Depending on your policy, fencing might fall under other structures or a separate limitation, so detailed documentation along every fence line is essential.

Trees and vegetation do more than look nice. On El Paso County acreage, they provide shade, windbreaks, privacy, fire separation, and erosion control on slopes and gullies. Some policies provide limited coverage for trees, shrubs, and landscaping. A careful property loss assessment can help you identify:

• Trees that must be removed because they are dead or unstable  
• Areas where ground cover has burned away, increasing erosion risk  
• Places where replanting or erosion control measures like seeding or stabilization work may be needed  

In certain situations, you may need to push for coverage of mitigation work, especially on steep or forested parcels.

When to Get Professional Help with Your Wildfire Claim

Many El Paso County property owners start a wildfire claim on their own, then realize they need help once the first estimate arrives. Signs that your claim may need additional support include:

• Payments that feel underpaid or slow, especially when rural improvements like fencing, outbuildings, wells, or trees are minimized  
• Estimates that do not match the damage you documented or the full scope of your acreage and structures  
• Disputes over smoke damage, ALE, or the cost to rebuild to current local codes  

A public adjuster can perform an independent property loss assessment that includes every structure, fence line, well system, and tree grouping on your parcel. They can compare that complete picture against the insurer’s estimate and work to correct missed items or low pricing. When needed, they may coordinate input from contractors, arborists, or well professionals so your claim reflects the real cost to repair or replace what was damaged.

If you decide to get a claim review, it helps to gather:

• Your full insurance policy, including endorsements  
• All estimates from the insurance company  
• Your photos, videos, and maps  
• Any repair bids, receipts, and temporary housing records  

Wildfire affects both homes and businesses in El Paso County, from small shops to larger commercial properties, so these same principles apply to commercial claims as well.

Frequently Asked Questions About El Paso County Wildfire Claims

Do I Have Coverage for My Barn, Shop, or Other Outbuildings?

Most policies treat these as other structures, separate from the main dwelling, often with a different limit. It is important to confirm that your barns, shops, and sheds are listed correctly and to document each one as its own line item.

Will My Policy Pay to Replace Burned Fencing on My Acreage?

Fencing is often covered, but sometimes with a specific cap or as part of other structures. Thorough photos and measurements of each damaged section help you support that part of the claim.

Are My Well and Water System Covered If Damaged by Wildfire?

Depending on how your property is set up, wells and related equipment may be part of the dwelling coverage or other structures. Physical damage from heat or fire is typically easier to show when you document equipment, wiring, and well houses, and water quality testing can support claims related to contamination.

Can I Claim Losses for Burned Trees and Landscaping?

Many policies offer limited coverage for trees, shrubs, and landscaping. Coverage can depend on where the trees are located and how the policy is written, so detailed counts and photos of tree losses can be valuable.

What If My Insurance Company’s Property Loss Assessment Seems Too Low?

You are not required to accept the first number you are given. Property owners can seek a second opinion and work with a public adjuster if they believe their wildfire claim has been underpaid.

How Long Do El Paso County Wildfire Insurance Claims Usually Take?

Timelines vary based on the severity of damage, how many structures are involved, and how quickly documentation is provided. Large wildfire losses with homes, acreage, and multiple outbuildings often take longer than simple interior claims, especially if there are disputes over scope, pricing, or code upgrades.

Moving From Survival to Recovery After a Wildfire

Recovering from wildfire in El Paso County is a process, not a single event. Safety, early documentation, and a thorough property loss assessment are the foundation. Wells, fencing, trees, outbuildings, and acreage all deserve careful attention so they are not overlooked in the rush to close a claim.

Clear Next Step: Get Your Wildfire Claim Reviewed

If you are unsure whether your El Paso County wildfire claim is fully and fairly valued, request a detailed claim review. Have your policy, estimates, photos, and receipts ready, and ask a qualified professional, such as a public adjuster familiar with local wildfire losses, to review your situation.

A clear, independent property loss assessment can help you understand your options, correct missed items, and move from immediate survival toward long‑term recovery with greater confidence.

Protect Your Property And Start Your Recovery Today

If you are facing storm, fire, or water damage, we can help you understand the full scope of your losses with a detailed property loss assessment. At Disaster Adjusting, we work to document damage accurately so your claim reflects the true cost of recovery. Reach out so we can review your situation, explain your options, and start building a strategy that fits your needs. If you are ready to talk with a specialist, please contact us today.