<"~\ Governor'~Officeofd Research
( ~ _J Planning an · ..........
CALIFORNIA _ • Commission Public Utilit ies
Safer from Wildÿres in 2 31
Safer from Wildÿres is an interagency partnership between Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the emergency response and readiness agencies in Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration to protect lives, homes, and businesses by reducing wildÿre risk.
With California experiencing devastating, climate change-intensiÿed wildÿres, homes and businesses need insurance they can rely on.
Commissioner Lara is using every tool available to improve insurance for our communities. Drawing on the direct experience of ÿrst responders and the latest research on wildÿres, the partnership created a consistent approach to reducing risk with a list of achievable and e°ective actions to help make existing homes and businesses safer from wildÿres. The ultimate goal is protecting consumers by reducing wildÿre risk in their communities, making insurance available and a°ordable for all Californians.
This “ground up” approach for wildÿre resilience has three layers of protection — for the structure, the immediate surroundings, and the community — to prevent wildÿres from catching and spreading to other homes and businesses in the neighborhood. • Class-A Fire rated roof
• Maintain a 5 foot ember-resistant zone around a home
(including fencing within 5 feet)
• Noncombustible 6 inches at the bottom of exterior walls • Ember and fire-resistant vents (See Low-Cost Retrofit List, and Chapter 7A)
• Upgraded windows (Double paned or added shutters)
• Enclosed eaves
Protecting the
structure 1
Working together as a
community
3 • A community should have clearly deÿned boundary and a local risk assessment in consultation with the local ÿre district or state ÿre agency; an identiÿed evacuation route, cleared of vegetative overgrowth, and evacuation plan contingencies; clear funding sources to implement community mitigation activities and meet clear risk reduction goals; and integrated and up-to-date local planning documents pertinent to community wildÿre risk. • Current examples include the Fire Risk Reduction Community designation under development by the Board of Forestry, Firewise USA communities in good standing, and
Shelter-in-Place designations.
Commissioner Lara is working to increase available
incentives for wildÿre safety. To view the list of insurance companies currently offering discounts visit
insurance.ca.gov.
• Cleared vegetation and debris from under decks
• Removal of combustible sheds and other outbuildings
from the immediate surroundings of the home, to at least a distance of 30 feet
• Defensible space compliance (including trimming trees, removal of brush and debris from yard, and compliance
with state law and local ordinances)
Protecting the immediate
surroundings
2