Laguna Beach fire officials lay out home-hardening steps, AB 38 disclosure process and local assistance

Laguna Beach fire officials on a city-hosted workshop described specific home-hardening steps homeowners can take to reduce wildfire risk and explained the state—s AB 38 inspection requirement for properties sold in very high fire hazard severity zones.

At the March workshop, Fire Marshal Robert Montagami said home hardening "basically is preparing your home for wildfire," and outlined measures meant to reduce three distinct wildfire threats to structures: direct flame, radiant heat and flying embers. "These embers . . . can particularly be destructive because they can travel up to a mile and ignite a home," Montagami said.

Montagami and other city staff emphasized simple, low-cost retrofits as starting points. They recommended replacing roofs with Class A materials; installing noncombustible gutter covers; fitting ember-resistant vents and spark arrestors on chimneys; sealing gaps between roof covering and sheathing; caulking exposed openings beneath decks and eaves with fire-resistant sealants; and replacing single-pane windows with multi-pane units to reduce heat transfer. "If you have gutters around your home . . . please make sure that you have covers," Montagami said.

Why it matters: those measures are designed to reduce ignition points during a wildfire and give residents and firefighters more time during evacuations.

The city also addressed consumer questions about building materials and permits. Montagami said some fence products and other materials are "listed products" that have undergone fire-resistance testing and are published on the California State Fire Marshal website; he cautioned that vinyl fencing is not recommended. He advised homeowners considering structural changes, such as enclosing eaves, to contact the city—s Building and Safety Department to determine whether a permit is required and to confirm that chosen products are listed and appropriate.

On homeowner-installed exterior sprinkler systems, the fire officials gave a cautious assessment: such systems can be useful for short, targeted water-downs controlled remotely, but they can also draw local water supply and pressure if many homes activate systems simultaneously. Montagami noted many residential sprinkler heads deliver only about 17 gallons per minute and are activated by heat; he cautioned that automatic activation in sunlight can cause continuous flow until manually shut off and that widespread automatic use could affect the water pressure available to firefighters.

State disclosure law and inspections: the workshop described Assembly Bill 38 (AB 38), the state law that requires a defensible-space inspection when a property in a very high fire hazard severity zone is sold. Montagami summarized the local implementation: "This law states that any home that is being sold within a very high fire hazard severity zone . . . the seller is required to obtain an inspection by the local jurisdiction . . . and provide that report to the buyer." He said the law is a disclosure requirement and does not give the city additional enforcement authority beyond providing the inspection report; the buyer and seller typically agree who, if anyone, will make corrections and they have up to one year to do so.

Assistance and financing: workshop participants asked about support for residents who are "home rich but cash poor." A resident noted a city partnership with Habitat for Humanity that historically funded up to $5,000 per project through a home repair program. Montagami said the fire department will track and post available grant opportunities on the city website and will research how existing local programs might be adjusted to cover home-hardening activities. Councilmember Sue Kemp confirmed the city has previously seeded programs with grant funds and said the council will add searching for home-hardening grants to its wildfire mitigation and safety planning.

Who to contact: the fire department offered on-site evaluations for homeowners who want personalized recommendations. Montagami said residents should provide address details and contact info so staff can follow up and, when appropriate, refer them to Building and Safety or Community Development for permitting questions.

Ending: Officials said the city will continue to publish detailed retrofit guidance and links to state-listed products on its website and encouraged residents to use available local inspections and to watch for grant opportunities.