How much defensible space does California require?

California law requires 100 feet of defensible space around homes in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (Public Resources Code §4291). Zone 0 covers 0–5 ft from the structure and must be ember-resistant — no combustible mulch, no wood fencing attached to the house, no plants under vents. Zone 1 covers 5–30 ft (lean, clean, and green). Zone 2 covers 30–100 ft (reduced fuel — mowed grass, spaced trees, no ladder fuels). CAL FIRE inspectors can cite properties that don't comply.

Why can't I get homeowners insurance in California?

After the 2017–2018 and 2020 fire seasons, seven of California's twelve largest insurers had paused or restricted new policies by 2024. Carriers cite rising reinsurance costs and catastrophic WUI losses. If you've been non-renewed, ask your broker about the California FAIR Plan (800-339-4099) — the state-created insurer of last resort — and document any Safer from Wildfires mitigation work, which is required by CDI regulation to earn discounts and can restore eligibility with some admitted carriers.

What is the California FAIR Plan?

The California FAIR Plan (Fair Access to Insurance Requirements) is a state-created insurance pool that provides basic fire coverage to homeowners who can't get a policy on the open market. It is the insurer of last resort. FAIR Plan policies are typically more limited and more expensive than a standard policy — they cover fire, lightning, and internal explosion, but not liability, theft, or water damage. Most homeowners pair the FAIR Plan with a separate 'wrap-around' or Difference-in-Conditions (DIC) policy to fill the gaps. You apply through a licensed California broker at cfpnet.com.

Does the FAIR Plan cover smoke damage?

The FAIR Plan covers smoke damage that results from a covered fire, but settlements have been heavily contested — the California Department of Insurance took legal action in 2025 over smoke-claim denials. Coverage of pervasive smoke residue on HVAC systems, insulation, drywall, and porous belongings is often disputed. Document odors, soot, and testing results thoroughly, and if a claim is unreasonably denied or underpaid, file a complaint with the CDI Consumer Hotline at 1-800-927-4357.

What should I grab when evacuating a California wildfire?

California wildfires driven by Santa Ana or Diablo winds can move miles in an hour — you may have only minutes. Keep a go-bag packed year-round: N95 masks and goggles, prescription medications, phone chargers and a battery pack, sturdy shoes and long sleeves, cash, copies of ID and insurance, and a printed list of critical account info. Grab pets (in carriers), your evacuation kit, and — if there's time — small irreplaceables (photos, hard drives, heirlooms). Do not risk your life for possessions. Your home inventory should already be in the cloud.

How do I prove what I owned after a total loss?

After a total-loss wildfire there is nothing left to photograph — the only proof is what you documented before the fire. A room-by-room video walkthrough, photos of appliance data plates, and receipts for major items, all stored off-site. California homeowners without a pre-loss inventory routinely settle for a fraction of what they lost because they cannot reconstruct 15+ years of possessions from memory. This is the single highest-leverage step you can take before fire season.

How should California homeowners prepare their home records for wildfire season?

California homeowners should photograph and document every room, structure, and high-value item, then store that inventory off-site before peak fire weather arrives. California's wildfire risk is now effectively year-round, with the most destructive activity typically spanning summer through the fall Santa Ana and Diablo wind season (roughly June to November). The primary danger is the wildland-urban interface, where wind-driven fires overrun communities faster than residents can gather paperwork — as seen in the November 2018 Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and more than 18,000 structures. State agency CAL FIRE runs the official Ready for Wildfire campaign (readyforwildfire.org) built around the Ready, Set, Go! framework of home hardening, defensible space, and early evacuation, while Cal OES coordinates statewide emergency response. Corbivo keeps a FEMA-ready home inventory and your full home file backed up off-site, so if you file an insurance or federal-assistance claim after a wildfire, your documentation is already complete and accessible from anywhere.

When is wildfire season in California?

California no longer has a defined off-season — fires can ignite in any month — but peak activity generally runs from June through November. Summer heat and drought cure vegetation, then autumn's dry, offshore Santa Ana winds in the south and Diablo winds in the north drive the fastest, most destructive fires. The greatest risk concentrates in the wildland-urban interface across the Sierra foothills, coastal ranges, and Southern California canyons, where dense fuels meet expanding neighborhoods. Late-season wind events in October and November have produced several of the state's deadliest fires.

California Wildfire Guide — Defensible Space, FAIR Plan & Claims

1. California's wildfire risk, by the numbers

No other state is close — California has roughly 3× as many wildfire-prone homes as any other state, and its fires now routinely destroy tens of thousands of structures in a single event.

CAL FIRE and federal agencies responded to more than 8,000 wildfires across California in 2024, burning over 1 million acres. An estimated 2.1 million California homes sit in wildfire-prone areas — roughly three times the count of any other state.

In January 2025, the Eaton and Palisades fires tore through Los Angeles County, killing 29+ people and destroying 16,000+ structures — the worst urban fire disaster in Los Angeles history.

California's fire season is now effectively year-round, peaking summer through fall when Santa Ana winds (Southern California) and Diablo winds (Bay Area / Northern California) drive fires miles in hours. Wind-driven embers cause up to 90% of home ignitions — often long before visible flames arrive.

2. Defensible space (California law)

California requires 100 feet of defensible space around homes in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (Public Resources Code §4291).

Zone 0 (0–5 ft) — ember-resistant. Non-combustible only. Gravel, hardscape, or bare mineral soil. No bark mulch or wood chips against the house, no combustible plants, no wood fencing attaching directly to the structure. Remove anything under vents, decks, and eaves.
Zone 1 (5–30 ft) — lean, clean, green. Irrigated, well-spaced, low-growing plants. Keep grass mowed to 4 inches or less. Remove dead vegetation, dry needles, and leaves — from the ground, roof, and gutters. Trim tree limbs at least 10 ft from the house and 10 ft from the chimney.
Zone 2 (30–100 ft) — reduced fuel. Mow annual grasses down to 4 inches. Space trees so canopies don't touch — 10 ft apart on flat ground, more on slopes. Remove ladder fuels (branches and brush) that connect ground to canopy. Dispose of dead plant and tree material.
Safer from Wildfires (insurance discounts). Under a California Department of Insurance regulation, admitted carriers must offer discounts for specific home-hardening and defensible-space actions — Class-A roof, ember-resistant vents, 5-ft non-combustible Zone 0, cleared Zone 1, and community-level Firewise USA participation. Document every step and give the paperwork to your broker.

3. Build your home inventory long before wildfire season

California FAIR Plan total-loss and smoke claims have been contested — the CDI took legal action over smoke-claim denials in 2025. Documentation is decisive.

When your home burns to the foundation, there is nothing left to photograph. The only proof of what you owned is what you captured before the fire, stored somewhere off your property. Adjusters pay contents claims on proof, and undocumented belongings are the single biggest reason California homeowners get underpaid after a total loss.

Walk every room with your phone and record slow, deliberate video. Open closets, drawers, and cabinets.
Photograph the front of every appliance and its data plate (brand, model, serial number).
Keep receipts, order confirmations, and warranty registrations for expensive items.
Store the whole record off-site — cloud storage, an email to yourself, or a service that keeps a timestamped copy.

In a wildfire, the record you didn't build before you evacuated is the claim you can't file after. Corbivo keeps a timestamped inventory of your home, appliances, and belongings — stored off your property, ready long before you'd ever need it.

4. The California insurance crisis + FAIR Plan

By 2024, 7 of California's 12 largest insurers had stopped writing new policies in the state. FAIR Plan policies rose 276% between 2018 and 2024, and by December 2025 the FAIR Plan covered 645,000+ California properties.

What the FAIR Plan is. A state-created insurance pool that provides basic fire coverage to homeowners who can't buy a policy on the open market. It is the insurer of last resort, not a first choice. Coverage is limited to fire, lightning, and internal explosion — it does not include liability, theft, or water damage. You apply through a licensed California broker; you cannot buy a FAIR Plan policy directly from the plan.

Its limits. The FAIR Plan has capped dwelling coverage. High-value homes typically need a separate Difference-in-Conditions (DIC) or "wrap-around" policy to fill the gaps left by the basic fire policy — liability, theft, water, and additional dwelling limits.

How mitigation earns discounts. Under CDI's Safer from Wildfires regulation, admitted insurers must recognize specific mitigation steps with premium discounts — Class-A roof, ember-resistant vents, cleared Zone 0, and community-level Firewise USA participation. Keep photos, receipts, and inspection paperwork; hand them to your broker at every renewal.

If you've been non-renewed: California FAIR Plan — 800-339-4099 / cfpnet.com. If you're being unfairly refused or overcharged, call the CDI Consumer Hotline: 1-800-927-4357.

5. Evacuation planning

California uses the Ready, Set, Go! framework and Zonehaven / evacuation zones to move whole neighborhoods quickly. Know your zone before fire season.

Know your zone. Look up your evacuation zone in Zonehaven / community.zonehaven.com (used by most California counties). Sign up for county alerts (Nixle, AlertSD, CodeRED, etc.) and turn on Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone.
Ready — before fire season. 100-ft defensible space done. Home-hardening documented. Go-bag packed. Home inventory in the cloud. Two evacuation routes identified. Pet carriers accessible.
Set — red flag warnings / nearby fire. Move go-bag and valuables to the vehicle. Park facing out. Full tank of gas. Charge phones and battery packs. Close windows and interior doors. Move flammable patio furniture and door mats away from the house.
Go — evacuation order. Do not wait for a warning to become an order in wind-driven conditions. Take your go-bag, pets in carriers, medications, phone chargers, IDs, insurance info. Wear long sleeves, long pants, closed-toe shoes. Do not risk your life for possessions.
Go-bag basics. N95 masks and goggles, prescription meds, phone chargers + battery pack, cash, copies of ID and policies, a written contact list, water and snacks, pet food and leashes, sturdy shoes and gloves.

6. After a wildfire in California

Do not return until officially cleared. Burned neighborhoods are closed for a reason — unstable structures, live wires, hot spots, and hazardous materials. Wait for Cal OES / your county sheriff to reopen the area.
Assume ash is toxic. Post-wildfire ash contains heavy metals, asbestos, and other hazards. Wear an N95 or better, gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection. Do not let children or pets play in ash.
Watch for debris flows in burn scars. Burned hillsides can't hold water. The first significant rains after a fire produce dangerous mud and debris flows. Heed every warning — evacuate again if told.
Document everything before cleanup. Photograph and video the exterior, interior, and every destroyed item you can identify. Do not remove debris until your adjuster and any state-managed debris-removal program has inspected — DIY cleanup can void reimbursement.
Beware post-fire contractor scams. Never pay in full up front, never sign an assignment-of-benefits form under pressure, and verify a California contractor's CSLB license before hiring.

7. Filing a California wildfire claim

Open the claim immediately. Call your carrier or FAIR Plan claims line. Get a claim number and adjuster name in writing.
Ask about Additional Living Expenses (ALE) on day one. ALE covers hotels, rentals, meals, pet boarding, and mileage above your normal costs while your home is uninhabitable. Save every receipt from the moment you evacuate.
Document smoke damage aggressively. Smoke penetrates HVAC systems, insulation, drywall, and porous belongings. Get independent air-quality and surface testing if the insurer resists remediation. Smoke claims are where FAIR Plan disputes concentrate.
Build the total-loss contents inventory. Use your pre-loss video walkthrough and appliance data-plate photos as the backbone. Reconstruct room by room. Cite receipts, order confirmations, and email history wherever possible.
Keep a claims diary. Date, person, phone number, what was said. California wildfire claims routinely take a year or more — the diary is the most useful document you'll keep.
If unresolved, call the CDI. California Department of Insurance Consumer Hotline: 1-800-927-4357 (insurance.ca.gov). File a complaint if you're being underpaid or unreasonably denied — the CDI has intervened in California smoke-claim disputes.

8. California contacts

Need	Contact
Emergency / report a fire	911
CAL FIRE	fire.ca.gov
California FAIR Plan (last-resort insurance)	800-339-4099 / cfpnet.com
California Dept of Insurance Consumer Hotline	1-800-927-4357
Cal OES (emergency services)	caloes.ca.gov
FEMA Disaster Assistance	1-800-621-3362
Smoke / air quality	airnow.gov

Frequently asked questions

Official California Resources

More wildfire resources

For the full preparedness, documentation, and claims playbook — plus other state guides as they roll out — see our main Wildfire Preparedness Guide.

Have your California home file ready before you have to evacuate

Corbivo keeps a timestamped, cloud-stored record of your home and belongings — off your property, and ready the moment you file a wildfire claim.

California wildfire preparedness — a calm, clear guide