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Fire Losses Following Earthquake
Earthquakes cause fires. Heating and cooking equipment are overturned and gas and electrical
supplies are ruptured, igniting their surroundings. Buildings are damaged and contents are
strewn, increasing the fuel available to the fires that do start. Building codes in known seismic
areas now have increased attention to gas cut-offs and other features to reduce fire. But many
fires started in modern buildings after both the Loma Prieta (1989) and Northridge (1994)
earthquakes.
 Fire protection services are usually challenged after earthquakes for several reasons:
There can be numerous separate fires.
Emergency resources must also respond to immediate life safety issues, such as building
collapses and downed power lines.
Water main failures reduce hydrant supplies and pressure.
Communication and access to fire sites will be disrupted. Roads will be impassible due
to their own collapse, and also from mudslides, debris falls or utility main breaks. Unlit
traffic signals may cause gridlock in urban areas. Crews cannot quickly reach fires and
off-duty firefighters cannot reach their stations.
There have been significant losses from fires following earthquakes, notably after the
1906 San Francisco earthquake, and the 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan. But in recent
years, fire departments have succeeded in containing most resulting fires within a day.
Insured Fire losses have been much less than losses directly from Shake coverage.
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