California: Wildfire Code, Grants & Insurance
Last verified 2026-06-11 · Methodology · Changelog
Statewide mandatory
California is one of only two states (with Colorado) with a mandatory wildfire building code in effect statewide as of April 2026. New construction in mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zones must meet the wildland-urban interface construction standards of California Building Code Chapter 7A and Residential Code Section R337. State law also imposes defensible space requirements directly on property owners in State Responsibility Areas, and a Zone 0 ember-resistant perimeter rule is in rulemaking but not yet adopted.
Defensible space law
PRC 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around all structures in State Responsibility Areas: Zone 1 (0-30 ft) and Zone 2 (30-100 ft). A Zone 0 (0-5 ft ember-resistant) requirement under AB 3074 remains in rulemaking as of June 2026; the April 2026 draft proposes phased implementation prioritizing education over penalties. Non-compliance with PRC 4291 can carry fines and affects insurance.
Statutes and rules
- PRC 4291 (defensible space, 100 feet, State Responsibility Areas) [source]
- California Building Code Chapter 7A and California Residential Code R337 (WUI construction standards for new buildings in Fire Hazard Severity Zones) [source]
- AB 3074 (2020) (Zone 0 ember-resistant zone statute; rulemaking by the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection) [source]
Adoption history
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2008-01 | Chapter 7A WUI construction standards took effect for new construction in designated fire hazard zones. | link |
| 2020-09 | AB 3074 signed, directing creation of a Zone 0 ember-resistant zone (0 to 5 feet) requirement. | link |
| 2025-02 | Executive Order N-18-25 directed the Board of Forestry to complete Zone 0 rulemaking by December 31, 2025. | link |
| 2025-12 | Zone 0 rulemaking paused past the statutory deadline; advisory committee work resumed in 2026. | link |
| 2026-04 | Board of Forestry subcommittee released an updated Zone 0 draft with a phased, education-first implementation over five years. Confirmed as one of two states with mandatory statewide wildfire codes in effect. | link |
Statewide mitigation grant programs
California Safe Homes
Open as of 2026-06-11
Amounts: Individual grant caps not yet published; the program launched with an initial 3 million dollar state appropriation. Cities, counties, and special districts may also apply.
Eligibility: Low- and moderate-income homeowners (per state housing income limits) in high or very high wildfire risk areas, insured through an admitted carrier or the FAIR Plan
Covers: fire-resistant roofs, Zone 0 ember-resistant perimeter (0-5 ft), defensible space
Deadlines: Application portal expected to open in spring 2026 per CDI; confirm current window with the program
California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP)
Open as of 2026-06-11
Eligibility: Federal funding for community-scale home hardening; priority to very high fire hazard severity zones and socially vulnerable communities
Covers: home hardening, community-scale mitigation
Insurance market conditions
The California Department of Insurance recorded 788,485 homeowners policy non-renewals statewide in 2023; non-renewals outnumbered new policies written in 46 of 58 counties. FAIR Plan residential policies grew from 242,440 in September 2021 to 642,010 in September 2025, a 165 percent increase, and the plan's total exposure reached 650 billion dollars in June 2025. The Safer from Wildfires regulation (2022) requires insurers that price wildfire risk to credit documented mitigation.
Market data is presented as sourced conditions, not advice about any carrier or policy decision. Verify current conditions with the state insurance department or a licensed professional.
County records
| County | Local code status | Programs | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonoma County | Adopted with local amendments | 1 | 2026-06-11 |
| Marin County | Adopted with local amendments | 2 | 2026-06-11 |
| Los Angeles County | Adopted with local amendments | 0 | 2026-06-11 |
| San Diego County | Adopted with local amendments | 0 | 2026-06-11 |
| El Dorado County | Adopted with local amendments | 0 | 2026-06-11 |
Counties appear only when their records are substantially complete and verified. Coverage is expanding.
Cite this page
Western Wildfire Defense, "California Wildfire Code & Insurance Tracker," WUI Code & Wildfire Insurance Tracker, accessed 2026-06-11, https://western-wildfire-defense.com/tracker/california/
Spotted an error? Report an issue. Corrections are logged in the changelog. Data is reusable under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.