State Representative Selina Sieh Bliss said on April 17 that wildfire mitigation remains a top priority for Arizona lawmakers as insurance challenges mount for property owners in high-risk areas.
The issue is significant for communities facing both the threat of wildfires and increasing difficulties in maintaining insurance coverage. Yavapai County, part of Legislative District 1, has experienced wildfire impacts that contribute to insurance market pressures for local homeowners and businesses. Non-renewal rates in some Arizona counties reached as high as 4.8 percent in individual years, with noticeable increases in fire-affected northeast areas. Statewide trends show non-renewals correlating with recent fire activity in high-risk regions, according to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
“Wildfire risk is hitting Arizona families from every direction. It threatens lives, homes, power reliability, and now even people’s ability to keep insurance coverage. When homeowners and business owners start getting priced out or dropped altogether, the state cannot sit back and pretend this is somebody else’s problem. Public safety is one of our House Republican Majority’s core priorities, and wildfire mitigation needs to stay front and center. We have pushed this issue because people in Prescott, Sedona, the Quad Cities, and across Yavapai County do not have the luxury of waiting for the next fire to start. They need prevention, they need coordination, and they need an insurance market that does not abandon them after years of doing everything right,” according to Sieh Bliss.
Sieh Bliss participated in the Arizona Corporation Commission town hall on wildfire mitigation Thursday evening. The event brought together commissioners, utility officials, fire and forestry experts, and members of the public to discuss threats to utilities, communities, and critical infrastructure as well as steps for prevention, preparedness, and response. Coordination between the commission and the legislature was a key focus of the discussion as reported by the Arizona House GOP Conference.
Arizona recorded a homeowners insurance non-renewal rate of 0.8 percent in 2023. This figure remains lower than rates in other high-wildfire states such as Florida at 2.99 percent and California at 1.72 percent. Wildfire ranks as the largest peril for Arizona and the Southwest region according to University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
“Arizona is making progress, but there is more work to do. If utilities, regulators, firefighters, insurers, and lawmakers stay focused on prevention and act early, we can lower risk, protect property, and better protect Arizona communities before the next fire season puts them in danger,” Sieh Bliss said.
Bliss has represented Legislative District 1 in the Arizona House of Representatives since January 2023. She serves as chair of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and sits on the Transportation and Infrastructure and Judiciary committees. Bliss holds a master’s in nursing from Arizona State University and a doctorate in nursing from Capella University according to Ballotpedia. Bliss was elected as a Republican representative replacing Judy Burges.
