Help safeguard your home against wildfire

Learn how to make your home more resistant to wildfire.

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Wildfires can strike anytime —
so let’s get you prepared

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Take our quiz

to assess your wildfire preparedness

Understand what you need to do to achieve the Wildfire Prepared Home standards.

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Make a plan

to make necessary adjustments

Take preventative measures for your home and yard to reduce your wildfire risk.

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Achieve resilience

& inform your insurer

After you’ve prepared your home, submit an application and check if third-party evaluation services are available in your state—IBHS is expanding availability in the months ahead.

Investing in your home

Just as every home is different, so is the cost of making your home more resistant to wildfire. In its detailed report that analyzed nationwide data from the construction industry, as well as local California building contractors, Headwaters Economics estimates it costs $2,000 – $15,000 to retrofit an existing home with baseline upgrades — and explains costs can be higher depending on the home and the lot.

Here are rough estimates for key items to protect your home:

Lower cost

Regularly clear debris from roof and gutters
Install ember-resistant vents
Keep area under decks free of vegetation and any stored items
Clear vegetation, wood mulches and tree branches within five feet of the home’s exterior
Move wood piles indoors or more than 30 feet from the home

Medium cost

Replace vinyl gutters with metal gutters
Install noncombustible siding within six inches of a deck or the ground
Vertically screen decks with less than four feet of ground clearance
Replace wood or vinyl fencing within five feet of home
Remove a large tree within five feet of home

Higher cost

Upgrade to a Class A fire-rated roof (>90% of California homes already have)

Helpful resources
for grants & education

Contact your local fire department or Firewise community to learn what may be available in your area.

Find more resources

Wildfire Prepared Home

The Wildfire Prepared Home™ designation program empowers homeowners to take steps to reduce their wildfire risk.

Ready for Wildfire

CAL FIRE offers expert advice and tools to help keep you and your home safe from wildfire.

Resilience stories

Oklahoma Wildfire Risk Reduction Zones

Oklahoma Wildfire Risk Reduction Zones

Risk Reduction Zones are the areas where mitigation activities will be most effective at protecting homes and other buildings from wildfires.

IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification program is now available in Arizona

IBHS expands Wildfire Prepared Home certification to Arizona

The Wildfire Prepared Home voluntary certification program, created by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), is now available in Arizona as part of a 10-state expansion.

Gov. Polis, Colorado State Forest Service announce $8.5 million in wildfire mitigation grants

Gov. Polis, Colorado State Forest Service announce $8.5 million in wildfire mitigation grants

To make Colorado forests and communities more resilient to wildfire, Gov. Jared Polis has announced $8.5 million in Forest Restoration and Wildfire Risk Mitigation grants to 35 projects in 24 counties.

New Northern California neighborhood is built to survive wildfires

New Northern California neighborhood is built to survive a wildfire

When completed, each of its 24 homes will come with noncombustible siding, a Class A fire rated roof and enclosed eaves — all designed to reduce the risk of the home burning down in a wildfire.

First home in Oregon to receive Wildfire Prepared Home certification from IBHS.

Sisters-area home leads Oregon’s push for fire resilience

Located a short walk from the Deschutes National Forest, the home is the first in the state to receive the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification.

Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Defensible Space Demo

Two homes set ablaze in defensible space demo — only one survives

Watch the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) show the value of preparing your home for wildfire.

Home hardening measures can improve the odds of a house surviving a wildfire

Here’s how to protect your home from wildfires

“Home hardening,” or incorporating wildfire resistance into a home and its surroundings, can improve the odds of a home surviving a wildfire.

Table Mountain Rancheria is California's 1000th Firewise Community

Table Mountain Rancheria is California’s 1000th Firewise Community

Announced during Wildfire Preparedness Week, this recognition by the National Fire Protection Association® highlights the community’s commitment to reducing wildfire risk.

Los Angeles wildfire survivors look to rebuild fire-resilient homes to increase insurability

LA wildfire survivors look to rebuild fire-resilient homes

Experts say although fire danger can’t be stopped, residents can build their homes so they are less likely to burn.

New 64-home ‘fire resilient' community in Escondido is first of its kind

64-home ‘fire resilient’ community is first of its kind

The homes use research-based methods from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) to protect them from the dangers of both flames and embers, according to KB Home.