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> I think there should be a re-evaluation of whether or not to let people build or rebuild in especially fire-prone areas.

This is already happening, not by government, but rather by the insurance markets. My friend has lived in a fire-prone area of Southern California for years. His home owners insurances rates have more than tripled in the last few years. He just recently moved (yep, Idaho).

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Does the government subsidize fire insurance? I'm always taken aback when I see people rebuilding from a hurricane with subsidized wind and flood insurance. I understand why its nice for those that need it but has perverse incentives.

It does, although indirectly, through municipal fire departments. It's not "insurance" in the strict sense of the word, but it is an abatement mechanism designed to help minimize losses that would otherwise be borne by private insurers.

In California, if you can't get fire insurance through the private market, you generally have access to the FAIR Plan (https://www.cfpnet.com/about-fair-plan/). As the about page points out, it's not taxpayer funded - instead, companies writing home insurance in the state are required to contribute towards a share of risk in the plan.

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