Fire season has started. Is your property ready?

We're only the second month into peak fire season (May-October), and California has already experienced 2,224 wildfires that have burned a total of 95,562 acres across the state since January, according to data released by CalFire on June 24.

Although climate change is a major culprit of many wildfires, the majority of fires are still caused by people, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NPA), which estimates that about 87% of all wildfires nationwide are caused by human activity each year.

The good news: Many of these blazes can be prevented or minimized by taking proactive measures to help guard your property and surrounding community against the risk of fire.

Here's how to assess your property's wildfire risk and learn about local and state programs intended to keep your home safe.

Look up your property's 'risk factor'

Property owners can look up their address or ZIP code on Risk Factor, an online tool that assesses the probability of wildfire risk to individual properties and communities now and up to 30 years in the future based on climate changes.

Launched by the nonprofit First Street Foundation in 2022, the site assesses a property's risk based on the property type, building materials, terrain, proximity to historic fires and other data. This information can be used to gain a better understanding of a property's risk level and how to help protect it against potential wildfires.

Properties at “moderate risk” face a 6% chance of experiencing a wildfire over the next 30 years. Properties at “major risk” face a 14% chance, those with “severe risk” face a 26% chance, and those with “extreme risk” face over a 26% chance of wildfire, according to the site's analysis.

How communities along the Midpeninsula rank

Overall, communities along the Midpeninsula face moderate risk of wildfire, according to the site. The number of properties at-risk in each community, however, varies greatly. In Mountain View, for example, 2% of properties “have some risk of being affected by wildfire over the next 30 years,” compared to 86% of all properties in Woodside. (The “moderate” ranking for each community, according to Risk Factor, is based on the level of risk the properties face rather than the proportion of properties with risk.)

Find out if your property needs a defensible space inspection

For those who own property located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone, California law requires proof that the property is in compliance with CalFire defensible space requirements when it is sold.

Defensible space is the buffer between your home and the grass, trees, and any wildland area that surrounds it. CalFire requires property owners to create defensible space in a 100-foot perimeter from a home or to the property line, whichever is closer.

Under the requirement, which went into effect in 2021, the seller needs to provide documentation to a buyer by close of escrow.

Check your local ordinances

While the dangers of wildfires along the Peninsula might not have been on the minds of residents in past years, the CZU Lightning Complex fires that burned over 86,000 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 2020 was a wake-up call, prompting some local jurisdictions to beef up their fire-prevention efforts.

It's important to check local ordinances on defensible space or weed abatement, as they may have changed in recent years or may be stricter than state requirements.

Woodside Fire Protection District's new regulations

Along the Midpeninsula, Woodside Fire Protection District, which encompasses Portola Valley, Emerald Hills, Ladera, Los Trancos and other communities, recently adopted a Fuel Mitigation Ordinance that took effect on May 30. Under the new ordinance, property owners must carve out what's called a defensible space around their homes to help guard against the spread of wildfires. Among its requirements, residents will need to clear fuel-burning hazards such as brush and other combustible vegetation or debris within 100 feet of a structure on their land.

The new law also requires proof that a property is in compliance when it is sold. The ordinance allows the seller and buyer to decide which party will be responsible for the property's compliance. Find more information here.

Santa Clara County's unique weed abatement program

While most weed abatement programs in California fall under the responsibility of the fire department, this isn't the case in Santa Clara County. Santa Clara is one of a handful of counties in the state with a standalone weed abatement program. The county program is managed by three employees who inspect more than 2,000 properties per year, including those in Palo Alto and Los Altos Hills.

Under the program, residents must prevent grass and weeds from exceeding 6 inches in length, keep roads clear of overgrown vegetation and protect structures from combustible materials, among other requirements.

​Typically, a property is placed on the program after an inspector identifies a potential fire hazard on the premises or a complaint about the property is filed.

See if you qualify for fire-prevention rebatesdiscounts

Check to see if your city or other state and local agencies offer rebates or other incentives for making fire-prevention improvements to your property.

Woodside's 'Matching Fund Program'

Locally, the town of Woodside has established the Defensible Space and Home Hardening Matching Fund Program to encourage residents to create and maintain defensible space around their homes and the perimeter of their properties. The program reimburses residents up to 50% of the cost of creating defensible space or making fire-safe home improvements such as replacing an existing wood shake roof with a non-wood shake roof or installing ember-resistant vent screens. Residents are eligible to receive up to a maximum of $3,000 during each program year, which runs from July 1 to June 30.

California FAIR Discount plan

Statewide, the California FAIR Plan (the last resort, high-risk insurance for those who lose regular coverage) introduced a new fire protection discount plan last August. Policyholders who complete various mitigations on their property can qualify for rate discounts of up to 14.5%. The amount of savings depends on which protections policyholders choose to implement. Structural protections such as installing a Class-A Fire rated roof or upgraded windows can reduce a homeowner's rate by 10%, while clearing vegetation and creating defensible space can mean a 5% savings.

The Silicon Valley Association of Realtors contributed to this article.

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