Methodology

Last verified 2026-06-11 · Methodology · Changelog

What this dataset covers

Three record types, maintained as structured data files: state records (wildfire code regime, statutes, adoption history, insurance market summary), county records (local code status and amendments, hazard designation context, active programs, insurance conditions), and program records (one per grant or rebate program, with funding status and dates). Counties publish only when their records are substantially complete; we do not publish stubs or guesses. Fields that have not been verified against a primary source render nothing.

Sources, in order of preference

• Codes: state statutes and regulations, state fire marshal and forestry agency publications, county and municipal code libraries. Code adoption status is cross-referenced against the Headwaters Economics wildfire building code dashboard, then verified against the underlying statutes; we cite their work and do not republish it.
• Programs: administrator program pages and announcements, confirmed directly where possible. Statuses carry the date they were last confirmed.
• Insurance: state insurance department data calls and bulletins (the California Department of Insurance publishes non-renewal data), FAIR Plan policy counts and reports, and rate filing summaries. Only sourced figures with dates are published. Reporting from established outlets is used for context and always linked.

Definitions

State code status

• Statewide mandatory: a mandatory WUI code is in effect statewide.
• Statewide, phasing in: a statewide requirement is enacted but not yet fully in effect.
• Local option: the state enables or encourages local adoption; no statewide mandate.
• No state framework: no state-level WUI code framework.

County code status

• Adopted / Adopted with local amendments / Not adopted / Unknown (unknown statuses are never presented as a guess).

Program funding status

• Open, Waitlist, Funds reserved out, Paused, Closed, Proposed. Every status renders with the date it was last confirmed. Unconfirmed statuses render as "verify with program."

Update cadence

• Program funding statuses: monthly minimum; biweekly during fire season (May to October).
• Code adoption: quarterly sweep, plus event-driven checks during legislative sessions.
• Insurance data: as state insurance department releases land.
• Every change is a dated entry in the changelog with a source.

How to cite

Western Wildfire Defense, "WUI Code & Wildfire Insurance Tracker," accessed [date], https://western-wildfire-defense.com/tracker/. The dataset is licensed CC BY 4.0: free to reuse with attribution linking to the tracker. Each page carries a copy-ready citation block.

Corrections

Email [email protected] with the page, the field, and a primary source. Verified corrections are applied to the data files, propagate to every page and download on the next build, and are logged in the changelog with the date.

What this is not

Insurance market information is presented as sourced conditions, never as advice about a carrier, policy, or purchase decision. Code summaries are plain-language aids, not legal advice; the cited statutes and your local building official control.