California · Wildfire Legal Resources

After a wildfire,you have more options
than you think.

Some losses can’t be replaced. But some things can be done to help restore a sense of being whole again. That usually starts with understanding what rights you have — and what options exist for your specific situation. This resource exists to help you find that out, clearly and without obligation.

What best describes your situation?

Your relationship to the property shapes what you may be entitled to recover. Select the situation that fits yours.

Renters & Occupants
I was renting or living in the fire area

You may have a claim even without a deed or a formal lease in your name.

You didn’t own the building. You still lost your home.
Renters are among the most overlooked victims of wildfire — and often the least aware of what the law may provide. We built a dedicated resource for you, including a calculator that estimates what the fire has cost you and a direct path to an attorney who understands your situation.

Go to renter resources →
Homeowners
I owned a home or property in the fire area

When a fire results from someone else’s negligence, homeowners may have legal options beyond what insurance covers.

When a fire results from negligence, the question of accountability doesn’t end with your insurance company.
Homeowners may have legal claims against the parties whose negligence caused or contributed to the fire — entirely independent of their insurance policy. An attorney helps you understand both what your insurer owes you and what the law may provide beyond it.

Go to homeowner resources →
Business Owners
My business was affected by the fire

Lost income, damaged property, and operational disruption may give rise to a claim.

Business losses from a wildfire go well beyond the visible damage.
Lost revenue, displaced customers, and destroyed inventory are recoverable harms. For some businesses, the harder reality is what comes after — the cost of resuming operations in a changed landscape, including regulatory changes and the loss of long-standing operating conditions that can’t simply be restored.

Go to business resources →

Active fire matters

When fire displaces a community, loss rarely fits a single category. The matters below reflect where Zimmerman Reed is looking closely at what happened, who was affected, and what paths may exist toward recovery.

Eaton Fire

Altadena · Pasadena
January 2025

Accepting clients

Previous & Other Cases

Camp Fire · Garden Grove
Husky Refinery · Minot

Our experience →

Why Zimmerman Reed

Wildfire cases are legally complex and deeply personal at the same time. The harm is real. The paths to accountability often aren’t obvious. Zimmerman Reed has been navigating both — for families, property owners, and businesses whose situations require more than a standard approach.

That includes representing families affected by the Camp Fire in Butte County, the Eaton, Palisades, and Hurst Fires in Los Angeles, and communities displaced by industrial accidents — the GKN chemical plant leak in Garden Grove, the Husky Refinery explosion in Superior, Wisconsin, and the Minot train derailment in North Dakota. With lawyers and staff in Los Angeles, Zimmerman Reed knows recovery does not happen in clean categories. It happens in daily life — in housing, work, care, routines, and the cost of finding stable ground again.

40+

Years in practice

Offices — Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix

Upfront cost — no fee unless we recover

How it works

A straightforward process — no cost, no obligation

Tell us what happened

Answer a few questions about where you lived, what you lost, and what changed. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing.

We help you understand what’s available to you

Recovery after a wildfire often involves more than one path — and having legal representation doesn’t close any of them. In many cases, it may help protect your position across more than one recovery path. We help you understand what those paths are before you commit to anything.

If you qualify, we’ll be in touch

An attorney from our team will review your situation and follow up directly. There are no fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.

After the fire

A practical guide to recovery — for anyone affected by a California wildfire

The steps that matter most in the weeks and months after a fire — from documenting damage and navigating insurance to understanding your legal options and finding community support.

Free resource

What to do. What to know.
What you’re entitled to ask for.

Covers immediate safety steps, insurance, documents, legal support, and more.

Review the guide →

In the news