Homeowners and insurance companies are hiring and supporting private firefighting companies in an effort to beat back the flames of this year’s wildfire season.

In a spirit of free enterprise, private firefighting companies are expanding almost as fast as the wildfires in California. With persistent drought and climbing temperatures, business for private firefighting companies is likewise booming as many homeowners and insurance companies are now contracting with private firefighting firms to protect their homes before flames start licking at their structures.

As pointed out by Chris Dusa of Fire Stop, a private company with nine fire engines, “Public firefighters wait until the bell goes off and then they go out to the fire. We do things more proactively by creating a moat around the property before the fire gets there.” In addition to digging moats and clearing defensible spaces around homes, the private companies spray flame retardant gel on the homes as well, in advance of any actual flames.

Most of these contractors have firefighting backgrounds, were trained in protocols of communication and command in wildfires and have no intention of replacing public firefighters. Ron Sparks (not a typo), a private contractor says, “We know how the system works and we do everything possible not to put anyone in harm’s way. We’re out there to supplement the effort and protect property, not to be battling flames on the fire line.”

The New Jersey-based Chubb Corp., an insurance firm, began offering free fire protection to its clients in 13 western states just this year. Over 11,000 homeowners signed up, with more than a third from the Lake Tahoe and Marin County areas, regularly besieged with wildfires. Chubb hired the Montana-based Wildfire Defense Systems, Inc., to protect homes with a replacement value of $1 million or more with a fleet of over 50 fire engines.

Just one blaze in San Diego County last year cost insurance companies more than $1.3 billion, so it’s no wonder that more and more insurance companies are opting for private protection. In Paradise, California, firefighting has cost taxpayers more than $56 million already this year – and the fire season is still young.

Fireman’s Fund, who used to donate about $4.5 million a year to public fire departments, has now joined up with the Sacramento-based Fire Stop and two other companies to protect the homes they insure. American International Group, Inc. (AIG) has also partnered with private firefighters.

Certainly an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but you wouldn’t know it given the comments by public and government firefighting agencies and unions who seem to view private firefighters as a personal threat.

“Insurance company fire engines need to stay out of our way. We don’t know who they are or where they are. They’re like the private mercenaries in Iraq,” said Thomas Walsh from the U.S. Forest Service Resource Unit.

In some quarters, there is a tendency to take a socialistic view of fire protection, Lori Moore-Merrell, from the International Association of Fire Fighters, is concerned that privatization gives protection only to the wealthy saying, “Fire protection should be available to all citizens regardless of how much money they have.” And of course, it still is – no one’s taking that away. But those who wish should certainly be able to contract with anyone they please, in order to protect their homes.

Insurance companies, private contractors, and homeowners all have a vested interest in protecting private property – and they should be allowed to do it freely and unencumbered by any government agency’s policy or ill will. They will do it more effectively and cheaper – a win-win situation for homeowners, taxpayers, and insurance premium payers.

And through their pro-active techniques and constant GPS tracking, these private firefighters might just be able to play an important role in stopping advancing wildfires in the bargain.