This article was contributed by Shelter On Site, which provides on-site RV housing for displaced families and works directly with insurance adjusters to place people in temporary housing their policy already covers.
The evacuation order comes at 2 a.m. You grab the dog, the kids, a folder of documents if you are thinking clearly, and you drive. By the time the sun is up, the Sonoma County families we work with are usually sitting in a car in a parking lot somewhere off Highway 101, calling hotels that are already full. The rooms that are left are in Sacramento, or past Petaluma, an hour or more from work, from school, from the house they are trying to figure out how to save.
That distance is the problem most people do not see coming. During wildfire season here, a fire does not displace one household — it displaces a whole neighborhood at once, and everyone is competing for the same beds. When the hotels fill up, the choice is often between a room far from your life and no plan at all.
Why families are staying close to home
A rebuild in wine country is rarely fast. Permits, contractors, insurance approvals, and smoke remediation stretch over months. Families who scatter to distant hotels tend to burn out — the commute alone wears them down, and kids lose the routine that keeps a hard season survivable.
The families who cope best are usually the ones who stay near their community. An RV placed on your own property, or on a lot nearby, keeps you close to work, close to your children’s school, and close enough to meet the contractor and the adjuster in person. You are living at the rebuild instead of driving to it. That is the kind of near-home RV housing that Fireside RV Rental provides locally, and it is why on-site placement has become a real alternative to a room two counties away.
Renters: your policy may already cover this
Here is the part renters most often get wrong. Many people who rent assume that because they do not own the building, they have nothing to fall back on. In our experience placing displaced families, that assumption leaves real money on the table.
Your landlord’s policy covers the building — not your displacement. What pays for your temporary housing is your own renters policy. Most renters policies include a “Loss of Use” provision, and homeowner policies carry a similar “Additional Living Expenses” (ALE) benefit. When a covered peril makes a home uninhabitable, these coverages can reimburse reasonable, documented temporary-housing costs and increased living expenses while you are displaced. This is how Loss of Use coverage pays for temporary housing.
A few things worth knowing, though none of this is a guarantee — check your specific policy and confirm with your adjuster:
- Loss of Use is often tied to your personal-property coverage — frequently a percentage of it, roughly in the 20–40% range, or capped by a set period of time.
- Coverage generally applies only when a covered peril makes the home uninhabitable, so the cause of the loss matters.
- Documentation is what gets claims paid. Keep receipts, dates, and records of the increased costs you are taking on.
- Both renters and homeowners can qualify — the coverage names differ, but the purpose is the same.
Before the next fire season
The best time to read your policy is before you need it. Find your Loss of Use or ALE line, learn what it says, and know that staying near home during a rebuild is often something your coverage supports. When the 2 a.m. call comes, you will already know you have more options than a hotel room an hour away.
Frequently asked questions
Does renters insurance help with temporary housing after a wildfire?
Many renters policies include Loss of Use coverage that can reimburse reasonable, documented temporary-housing costs when a covered peril makes a home uninhabitable — often a percentage of your personal-property limit or a time cap. Check your policy and confirm the details with your adjuster; nothing here is a guarantee.
Why do families choose on-site RVs after a fire?
When hotels book out and fill up far from home, an RV parked near your property keeps you close to work, school, and your rebuild. Many people put their Loss of Use benefits toward that kind of temporary housing.
Guest article by Shelter On Site · Updated July 2026.