Preparing for Wildfire

 

This page is your one stop shop for resources to help prepare you, your home, and your family for the risk of wildfire. Below, you’ll find timely information about what to do before, during, and after a wildfire emergency.

 

Home hardening and defensible space

Ready for Wildfire: Learn simple steps you can take to increase your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire by maintaining defensible space plus and structural hardening, plus many other resources to help prepare and protect your family and home.

CAL FIRE Defensible Space – Current defensible space zones and requirements from CAL FIRE. 

Ready San Diego: Resources to help you plan your response in the event of wildland fire, as well as ways to prepare yourself and your home before wildfire strikes. Don’t forget to download the San Diego County Emergency Smart Phone App to use on the go.

Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide: This guide will help residents and building professionals better understand how to prepare homes and communities for wildfire.

Home Hardening – Learn how you can harden your home from ember intrusion to better prepare your structure for a potential wildfire. Recommendations from UCANR with low cost retrofit recommendations.

Sustainable Defensible Space: This website contains information on defensible space zones, firewise landscaping, and home retrofits.

Firewise Landscaping – Landscaping and vegetation recommendations from UCANR. Plant the right vegetation to support biodiversity and habitat, but in the right place to follow defensible space ordinances and recommendations.

Wildfire Severity

Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps: Based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and other relevant factors, CAL FIRE developed zones classifying a wildland zone as moderate, high, or very high fire hazard.

Wildfire Risk to Communities: Created by USDA and congress, this free, easy-to-use website with interactive maps, charts, and resources helps communities understand, explore, and reduce wildfire risk.

Find your local fire agency

CAL FIRE – San Diego Unit Stations: A list of fire stations within the County of San Diego.

San Diego Fire-Rescue: A list of fire stations within the City of San Diego. 

San Diego Fire-Rescue Department: Information about brush management and weed abatement requirements, guidance, and policies for City of San Diego residents.

San Diego County Fire Authority: Information and guidance on brush management requirements for San Diego County residents

During and after an emergency

2-1-1 San Diego: A free, 24 hour, confidential phone service and searchable online database. In addition to information on everything from housing, health, veteran services, and much more, they provide vital information about disaster preparedness and response. You can even call for status updates on wildfires.

Watch Duty mobile app: Download Watch Duty mobile app to get alerts and updates on wildfires in our region or Statewide.

Alert Wildfire – Cameras throughout the State that show the real time, current state of wildfire events.

CAL FIRE Incident Information: Get up timely information about CAL FIRE jurisdiction incidents.

San Diego County EmergencyUp to the minute information about current emergencies. Don’t forget to download the San Diego County Emergency Smart Phone App to use on the go.

Red Guide to Recovery: Preparedness and recovery tips for disasters including wildfire and flooding are available here.

Before the Fire

 United Policyholders: Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing tools and resources for solving insurance problems after a disaster, promoting disaster preparedness and insurance literacy, and advocating for pro-consumer laws and public policy related to insurance matters.

American Red Cross: The American Red Cross offers free smoke alarm installations for seniors. Visit their website to find out when upcoming events are occurring.