Some San Juan Capistrano homeowners are still dealing with the lingering effects of last month's Norte Fire, including difficulty getting adequate help from insurance companies.
The Ferro family quickly fled their home on Oct. 16, 2026, as the blaze approached, leaving everything behind. Although their home survived the blaze, it suffered considerable damage from the smoke and ash.
Jamie Ferro said the entire home is now covered in soot, including their walls, floors, kitchen, couches, toys, beds and toilets. They estimate the total cost of damage is between $100k and $150k.
"Every surface here throughout the house is like this. Some worse than others, but we had all the doors and windows closed," Jamie Ferro said.
Now 17 days after the fire started, the Ferros say their insurer, the California FAIR Plan, has not agreed to pay for deep cleaning. They said they were also told they had to prove their couches and mattresses were damaged beyond repair.
"So the FAIR Plan is asking us to clean it first, and then, if it still smells, they'll send somebody out, another field adjuster and they'll come out and then they'll do a test. That'll take another four to six weeks," Jamie Ferro said. "Then, if it's proven that the smoke damage couldn't be cleaned, then they'll replace the furniture."
Related: San Diego Gas and Electric sued over Norte Fire in San Juan Capistrano
Without the home being certified as safe, they say they won't move their three young daughters back in. This has raised another issue with the insurer, which told them they'll only cover two months of temporary housing payment at a rental property.
The Ferros say that in terms of coverage, they probably would've been better off if their house burned down. They said an official with the California FAIR Plan told them they would cover one-fifth of the remediation cost, not the entire cost.
"We did everything that we were supposed to, to make sure that our home wasn't going to be a torch in the neighborhood essentially," said Sarvy Ferro. "Maintaining our yard. Maintaining the defensible space, all of that. Now that it's time for us to get help from the insurance company, there's no real help being provided."
CBS LA has reached out to the California FAIR Plan for information on the company's response to the Norte Fire claims, but has not yet heard back.
