Allstate Corp., which expects to pay out $290 million to $330 million to policyholders as a result of last fall's fires in the San Diego area, is demanding that the city and county, as well as the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, help it cover the claims because it says they did an incompetent job of battling the Cedar Fire, the most costly blaze.

“Bungling by fire and police agencies here allowed last October's Cedar Fire to spread ‘into a wildfire of epic proportion,’ one of California's largest insurance companies has charged in a claim filed against three public agencies,” said a report in the Oakland Tribune.

The claim accuses emergency officials of “gross malfeasance” in allowing the fires to burn 300,000 acres across San Diego County's backcountry, destroying 2,300 homes.

A state law generally provides governments immunity to lawsuits arising from firefighting efforts. According to the Tribune, Candysse Miller, executive director of the Insurance Information Network of California, said San Diego is the only city or county to face such a claim and Allstate is the only company to file such a claim.

The October wildfires struck parts of Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Even if Allstate does not pursue its claim in court, Miller said, the insurance company is “sending a message” that could result in future lawsuits if San Diego officials fail to bolster their fire protection efforts.