A startup is using machine learning and better data to more accurately assess wildfire risk for insurers. Why it matters: Wildfires are one of the fastest-growing risks to properties, but insurers have struggled to accurately price policies -- and some have abandoned the field altogether, leaving property owners unprotected. Driving the news: The month-old Dixie Fire is now the single biggest fire in California's recorded history, and it has already destroyed more than 1,000 buildings, including nearly all of the small community of Greenville. How it works: Zesty.ai has developed a model called Z-FIRE that uses aerial imagery, data from connected devices, climate studies and machine learning to provide more accurate wildfire risk assessments. What to watch: This week, Zesty.ai entered into a partnership with the California FAIR Plan Association -- the state's insurer of last resort -- to use Z-FIRE for wildfire risk assessment.