Preparing Property for Wildfire

You are responsible for keeping your property fire safe. Use these tools and resources to manage spaces around your home and increase your property’s wildfire resilience.

Follow these steps to make your property fire safe and resilient. By doing so, you can increase the likelihood your home survives a wildfire. Additionally, prepare yourself for the Fire Department’s inspection program, which is managed by the Wildland Urban Interface Division.

INCREASE YOUR HOME’S RESILIENCE TO WILDFIRE

The Fire Department urges homeowners create and maintain defensible space around their property, and to harden their homes.

Create defensible space

Increase your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire by creating defensible space. Defensible space is the buffer between a building on your property and anything combustible around it, including vegetation and combustible storage. This buffer reduces fire spread and provides firefighters an area to work in to defend your home during a fire.

To help you with this important work, download or visit these resources:

Learn about Defensible Space Zones from Fire Safe Marin.
Download a diagram that illustrates defensible space on a typical Berkeley-sized lot.
Read recommendations from FireSafe Marin about fire-resistant designs, materials, and plants.

Harden your home

Hardening your home, together with creating a defensible space, further increases the chances that your home will survive a wildfire by making your home more fire resistant. Home hardening involves actions such as re-roofing with fire-safe materials, covering vents, and boxing in eaves. Learn more about Hardening Your Home from Cal Fire.

Take advantage of vegetation disposal program

If you’re part of a subset of homes in Fire Zones 2 and 3 that pay a special tax, ask about the Fire Fuel Chipper and Debris Bin Program, a seasonal vegetation disposal program. There is no application needed to get these special dumpsters. For more information call the Customer Service Center (311 from a landline phone in Berkeley).

PREPARING FOR WILDFIRES PREPARES YOU FOR OUR INSPECTION PROGRAM

Berkeley performs defensible space and home hardening inspections on properties in the Berkeley Hills, designated as Fire Zones 2 and 3. You can prepare your property for inspection by taking concrete steps, such as assessing and disposing of vegetation on your property multiple times a year and removing combustible items. Learn more by reviewing:

A map of Fire Zone boundaries. Click the “Adopted Fire Risk” tab to locate your property in a Fire Zone
The Defensible Space & Home Hardening Self-Inspection checklist

Access your inspection report

To access your property’s Defensible Space/Home Hardening Report, refer to the instructions and code on your inspection door hanger. If you have questions about your report, contact:

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Division
Phone: (510) 981-5620
Email: wildfire@cityofberkeley.info

Please provide the address.

PREPARE YOUR HOME AND COMMUNITY BY BECOMING FIREWISE

Protect your home from wildfires and get involved with your community through Firewise USA, a program from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). To get started, contact the Berkeley Fire Department’s Firewise Coordinator by calling (510) 981-5620 or emailing wildfire@cityofberkeley.info.