California sets new smoke cleanup rules for insurers
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed bills requiring insurers in California to test for wildfire smoke damage, pay to remove contaminants and keep covering alternative living costs until a home is declared safe to reoccupy.
The new laws follow the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County, which destroyed thousands of homes and left thousands more standing but coated with toxic residue. State officials said property owners filed about 13,000 smoke-damage claims for homes still standing after the January 2025 fires.
Under the legislation, California will set statewide standards for how smoke damage is tested and cleaned. The Department of Toxic Substances Control must create rules for lead and asbestos by the end of 2028, then standards for heavy metals and other pollutants by the end of 2029.
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