Defensible Space Resident Assistance Program

Defensible space—the buffer between your home and the vegetation that surrounds it—is critical for protecting your home from wildfires.

The Resident Assistance Program (RAP) can help homeowners in the Grizzly Peak and Panoramic Mitigation Areas, or others in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, clear dead plants, grass, shrubs, leaves, and pruning and thinning trees from within 100 feet of their home to create defensible space, with priority on the first 5 feet, also known as Zone 0.

Other residents in these neighborhoods can get logistical help with vegetation work. Enter your address on the Berkeley FireSafe website to check which high fire risk area you live in.

Free vegetation management support for residents of very high fire hazard areas 

Residents in the very high wildfire risk neighborhoods may qualify for financial assistance with creating defensible space if they meet one of the criteria below:

• Age 65 or older
• Have a physical limitation that prevents them from doing the work
• Household income level is at or below what is considered low-income (see income eligibility guidelines)

You will need to provide your address and proof you meet one of the qualifying criteria for staff to confirm eligibility. To apply, fill out the Resident Assistance Program application form.

Free logistical support for other residents to guide vegetation management 

Residents in the same very high wildfire risk neighborhoods who do not qualify for financial assistance can get logistical help:

• identifying where to start work 
• accessing support in their language
• connecting with contractors

Any contractor you hire should complete the work based on the areas of improvement listed in your inspection report. Berkeley Fire staff will then re-inspect your property to confirm completed work.

Use inspection report, set up an account to guide your vegetation management steps 

All residents must have a defensible space inspection and an active inspection report on file from within the last year to help guide required and any recommended vegetation management improvements on your property.

If your inspection report is older than a year or you do not have one on file, schedule an inspection through our online calendar—select a date, look for available times, and confirm your appointment. To manage your report and next steps, create an account on the Fire Aside online portal, where you will be able to:

• Access personalized inspection report 
• Choose who can access your property—like inspectors and contractors—by filling out a “Right of Entry” agreement 
• View your inspection history 
• Communicate with the City for additional guidance

Remove and thin vegetation around your home to reduce wildfire risk 

For qualified residents, the RAP program will pay a licensed contractor directly to do the work outlined in your inspection report.

RAP can help with the following wildfire risk reduction work: 

• Cutting back or removing vegetation within zero to 100 feet of the home to create buffer space 
• Removing dead vegetation, including plants, grass, and debris 
• Pruning and thinning tree branches away from roofs and chimneys 
• One-time cleanup of your eucalyptus tree through the Eucalyptus Understory Cleanup Program, including pruning limbs, removing the dead and dried leaves, and the bark litter from around the tree and trunk.

The program does not remove combustible siding, fencing, gates, arbors, mulch, bark, or other wood materials. When removing any combustible items from your property like these, replace them with materials more resistant to fire, such as pavers, gravel, or concrete. 

Berkeley Fire’s Defensible Space Resident Assistance Program is funded through CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Prevention Grants Program. This covers contractor services for eligible residents, helping complete required defensible space work, especially when costs might delay or prevent work.