Home Fire Hardening

Safeguard your Home from Wildfires

We can help!

As wildfires pose a threat to our communities, it is crucial to take proactive steps to protect your home.

During a wildfire event, dry leaf debris in rain gutters makes a home extremely vulnerable to ignition from wind-blown embers.

Protect your home from wildfire risks with a durable, non-combustible Gutter Guard. Installing leaf guards is one of the most effective and affordable solutions to safeguard your property and reduce the threat of wildfires. Take the first step toward a safer home today! 

What is Fire Hardening and Why is it Important?

Fire hardening your home is essential for reducing ignition risks during a wildfire. Using non-combustible materials like metal roofing, cement siding, and ember-resistant vents can significantly improve your home’s resilience. Additionally, there should be no combustible materials within five feet of the structure, as this critical zone can act as a firebreak. Windows should be double-paned with tempered glass to withstand heat, while garage doors must be properly sealed with adequate weatherstripping to prevent embers from entering. Coupled with defensible space practices—such as maintaining a 100-foot buffer zone free of flammable vegetation, spacing plants and trees to prevent fire spread, and using fire-resistant landscaping materials—these measures create a comprehensive wildfire defense strategy. Increasingly, insurance companies are requiring homeowners to implement fire-hardening strategies and maintain defensible space to secure or retain coverage, reflecting the growing importance of proactive wildfire risk mitigation.

Resources that may help with the cost of Home Fire Hardening

Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (SCEIP):

SCEIP helps county residents with financing for energy, water, wildfire safety, and seismic strengthening improvements through the property tax system.

https://sonomacountyenergy.my.site.com/financing/s/

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority:

MFPA helps community residences make their homes more fire safe by offering this grant program to help locals ease the cost of home hardening.

https://www.marinwildfire.org/resident-info/resident-grants

Novato Fire Prevention District:

Partnering with the MWPA, the Novato Fire Prevention District can come to your home and help give a free assessment of how fire hardened your home may be. They can also pay for half of your gutter guards, with proof of receipt [depending on funds].

https://www.novatofire.org/prevention/wildfire-mitigation-measure-c/wildfire-mitigation/defensible-space-grant-programs

City of Napa- Housing Rehabilitation:

The Housing Rehabilitation programs offer no interest loans and grants to residents who are low income (at or below 80% of median) with home repairs

https://www.cityofnapa.org/204/Housing-Rehabilitation

Santa Cruz Long Term Recovery Group- Retrofit Program:

CA homeowners can now apply for up to $50,000 in grant funding to make their properties more fire resistant…You must be a homeowner living in one of the following counties: Butte, Fresno, Los Angeles, Napa, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, or Sonoma.

Recover CA: https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-and-funding/recoverca

Cal Fire Home Hardening Survey:

This survey helps home owners figure out how ready for wildfires their home might be.

They also have additional resources for Hardening your Home.

https://readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/hardening-your-home/