December 22, 2020 3:15 a.m.

After a devastating season of wildfires, many Oregon property owners are now at risk for flash floods and mudflows resulting from scorched landscapes and burn scars.

A release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency said wildfires destroy vegetation that supports and strengthens hillsides. Without plants to hold the earth in place, even a small amount of rain can start a mudflow. That can happen quickly and with little warning.

The release said property owners don’t have to take on all the risk themselves, because mudflow coverage is part of a standard policy for FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.

FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont said, “A flood insurance policy with NFIP is an affordable way for residents of Oregon to protect investments in their homes, properties and businesses”. Diemont said just an inch of water in the average home can cause $25,000 in damage, so having flood insurance can mean the difference between financial recovery and financial devastation.

The release said the recent wildfires have increased the risk of mudflows for anyone whose home is downhill from a fire-scorched area. That increased risk lasts for several years until enough new vegetation takes root.

For more information on NFIP insurance, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or go to www.floodsmart.gov.