Wildfire mitigation, home hardening, and defensible space consulting.

Embers land on the roof, in vents, in gutters, and in the first few feet around a structure, often well ahead of the fire front. Home hardening targets those ignition points directly.

• The first five feet (the ember-resistant zone, or "Zone 0"): removing combustible mulch, plants, wood fencing where it meets the house, and stored materials against the structure, and moving to non-combustible surfaces.
• Roof, gutters, and eaves: Class A roofing, gutter guards, and enclosed or ember-resistant eaves and soffits.
• Vents: ember-resistant vents that meet the relevant testing standard (for example ASTM E2886), or retrofitting existing vents with proper screening.
• Decks, fences, and attachments: non-combustible materials where they meet the house, and a break between a combustible fence and the structure.
• Windows and siding: dual-pane or tempered glass and ignition-resistant siding on exposed elevations.

Policy note. California's ember-resistant zone comes from AB 3074 (2020), amended by SB 504 (2024) and AB 1455 (2025). The statewide Zone 0 regulations are still being finalized by the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection as of mid-2026 (the December 2025 deadline was missed and a revised draft was released in April 2026). New construction is set to be covered first, with existing structures phased in, and some local jurisdictions already require it. We help owners meet the standard ahead of the deadline. (Source: California Board of Forestry, Zone 0 rulemaking.)

Defensible space is the buffer between a structure and the vegetation around it. In California, Public Resources Code 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space in State Responsibility Areas, organized in zones:

• Zone 0 (0 to 5 feet): ember-resistant, covered above.
• Zone 1 (5 to 30 feet): remove dead plants, keep spacing between shrubs and trees, and eliminate ladder fuels that carry fire from the ground into the canopy.
• Zone 2 (30 to 100 feet): reduce and space fuels, mow annual grasses, and limb up trees.

We plan and prioritize vegetation work that reduces fuel without stripping a property bare or removing habitat that does not drive fire behavior, including plant selection, spacing, and phasing so the work is affordable and holds up. (Source: CAL FIRE, PRC 4291.)

Landscaping is either a liability or a first line of defense. We advise on fire-resistant landscaping: plant selection and placement, non-combustible surfaces against the structure, spacing that breaks up fuel, irrigation and maintenance, and removal of the ornamental fuels (bark mulch, junipers, and mature shrubs against walls) that catch embers and carry them to the house. The goal is a property that still looks the way you want and does not deliver fire to the building.

An assessment establishes what a property is exposed to before any work begins.

• Structure ignition vulnerabilities, point by point.
• Fuels, terrain, and fire weather around the property.
• Access, water supply, and defensibility.

The result is a prioritized plan tied to specific hazards and actions. We also perform pre-purchase and real estate assessments for buyers, sellers, and agents who need to understand a property's wildfire exposure before a transaction.

Insurers increasingly verify wildfire mitigation before writing or renewing a policy, and non-renewals are common in high-hazard areas. We document home hardening and defensible space to the standard insurers and the state's Safer from Wildfires framework look for, and we support inspections and appeals. Mitigation can also qualify for premium discounts, depending on the carrier.

(Source: California Department of Insurance, Safer from Wildfires. Confirm current terms with your insurer.)

Getting people out safely matters as much as the building.

• Household evacuation: supplies, trigger points, routes, and a plan that functions during a power outage and a rapid departure.
• Access and egress for properties on limited or shared roads.
• Warning and notification: how residents will be told to leave, and when.

Electric utilities carry some of the largest wildfire liability in the country. We consult on the vegetation management, ignition-risk reduction, and community-interface elements of utility wildfire mitigation, including support for the vegetation management and community engagement sections of Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMPs).

Utilities in nine states, including most of the western states we serve (California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Montana, and Colorado), must file Wildfire Mitigation Plans. In California these are filed with the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety under SB 901 (2018) and AB 1054 (2019). (Source: California Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety.)

For companies with facilities in the wildland-urban interface, we assess site wildfire exposure and plan mitigation at scale: defensible space, site and structure hardening, access and water supply, and business continuity. This is a growing need for technology companies, data centers, and institutions siting in fire-prone areas.

For insurers, lenders, and owners of multiple properties, we assess wildfire risk across a portfolio and verify mitigation, using the same structure-ignition focus we bring to a single home.

Expert consultation and testimony on structure ignition, mitigation adequacy, and wildfire preparedness for legal, insurance, and regulatory matters.

We develop Community Wildfire Protection Plans and community hazard assessments for districts, fire safe councils, HOAs, and local government, including the risk assessment, prioritized projects, and the collaboration a CWPP requires to hold up.

We help agencies and organizations develop wildfire prevention standards and program requirements, drawing on field experience and current codes and research. This includes defensible space and home-hardening program design, inspection criteria, and support for defensible space ordinances.

We review wildfire-related policy, ordinances, and program documents for technical accuracy and alignment with current law and best practice. We distinguish what is required by law, what is regulation, and what is recommended practice, so decisions rest on the right footing.

Wildfire prevention grant writing and grant management, from application through project delivery and reporting.

Fire safe council and program management, including coordination, project delivery, and reporting for organizations that need the work run, not just planned.

Public education programs, presentations, and materials that move residents to act on home hardening and defensible space, plus training for staff and inspectors and speaking to boards, councils, and the public. Our principal has presented widely on wildfire mitigation and the Zone 0 standard.