Wildfire-ready homes & property
Wildfire-Ready Homes Program
What Is It?
Helping Homeowners Prepare, Protect, and Insure Their Homes
The Wildfire-Ready Homes Program helps homeowners understand what matters most when preparing a home for wildfire. Unlike traditional defensible space inspections, our advisory assessments incorporate the IBHS Wildfire Prepared HomeTM Checklist, California Department of Insurance Safer from Wildfires standards, and CAL FIRE PRC 4291 Defensible Space Requirements.
Why Do It?
Our trained volunteer assessors help homeowners understand which actions matter most and provide prioritized recommendations that can improve wildfire survivability, strengthen insurance eligibility, and support available insurance discounts.
How do I get an Advisory Assessment?
Sign up here!
What are Wildfire-Ready Homes and Property?
When your home and yard do not catch fire easily, resists embers, and fires are low to the ground, then it is wildfire ready.
There are two steps:
- Harden your home.
- Create a wildfire-ready yard - good defensible space.
Home Hardening
What Is It?
Home hardening involves the use of fire-resistant structures and materials to help protect your home or business from embers or flames.
Why Do It?
Combined with defensible space strategies, simple actions to harden structural elements of your home or business can increase its chances of surviving wildfires.
What to Know
How Do Homes Burn (UCANR) How Do Homes Burn in a Wildfire (NFPA)
What to Do
Defensible Space and Landscaping
What is defensible space?
Defensible space is the area around your home—starting at the walls of your house, porch, or deck and extending 100 feet or more. It focuses on how many plants you have, how they are spaced, and how well they are maintained.
Zone 0 (0–5 feet): Keep this area clear of anything that can burn.
Zone 1 (5–30 feet): Fewer plants, spaced apart and well maintained.
Zone 2 (30–100+ feet): Reduce dense vegetation and remove dead plants.
Good spacing and maintenance keep flames lower and reduce the chance that embers start fires.
Why does it matter?
Defensible space makes it safer and easier for firefighters to protect homes. If firefighters can’t reach your home, defensible space gives it a better chance to survive on its own.