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CAL FIRE warns 90% of homes that ignite in wildfires are lost; urges defensible space, home hardening and grants
Summary
Deputy Director Frank Bigelow told the State Board of Equalization on July 29 that homes that ignite in wildfires have a greater than 90% chance of being destroyed. He described state programs for defensible space, home hardening pilot grants and updated mapping and building code changes to reduce losses.
Deputy Director Frank Bigelow of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) told the State Board of Equalization on July 29 that homes that ignite in wildfires have a greater than 90% chance of complete destruction, based on damage‑inspection data.
Nut graf: The presentation framed how wildfire losses reduce property tax rolls and underscored several state mitigation priorities: clear vegetation immediately adjacent to structures, adopt home‑hardening measures (noncombustible siding, class‑A roofs, enclosed eaves and ember‑resistant vents), expand retrofit grants and coordinate with insurers on verified wildfire‑resilience standards.
Bigelow said CAL FIRE’s damage inspection database (DENS) and recent research show the area within five feet of a structure is the highest‑risk zone for ember ignitions and advised homeowners to remove combustible materials there. He outlined ongoing state steps: updating hazard maps, placing new part‑7 building‑code wildfire requirements into law effective Jan. 1, 2026, piloting a home‑hardening grant program that can provide up to $40,000 per household, and collaborating with research partners — IBHS, NIST and UL — on lab testing and standards.
Bigelow also described investments in firefighting capability: new S‑70i helicopters, S‑2T and C‑130 air tankers and expanded local and statewide mutual aid, and he noted CAL FIRE’s role in reforestation seed banks and fuels‑reduction grant programs.
Board members asked about insurer engagement, the relationship between hazard and parcel‑level risk, and whether rebuild standards will be enforced in high‑hazard and local responsibility areas. Bigelow said CAL FIRE is working with the Department of Insurance and others, that hazard and risk are different and should be modeled at the parcel level, and that homes in very‑high‑hazard zones will be required to meet the tighter home‑hardening and defensible‑space rules where they apply.
No board action was taken; members requested that CAL FIRE return with more detail if the board pursues further property‑tax or rebuilding policy recommendations.
