Personalized property assessments help neighborhood prepare for wildfires

An encampment fire on Fairmount Avenue near Interstate 8 in May was a threat to the hillside homes above it. It was the most recent reminder that wildfire can threaten the neighborhood at any time.

While hoping to actually prevent hillside wildfires, the Alvarado Estates neighborhood is also taking steps to proactively prepare their families and their homes for the probability of inevitable wildland fire.

In 2022, some neighborhood leaders helped form the Alvarado Estates Fire Safe Council (AEFSC) and in 2023 they wrote a Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which was approved by local fire officials as the framework to guide their efforts. Located in what’s deemed a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ), the AEFSC works to address wildfire risks within the boundaries of their homeowners association, which include residential properties, natural canyons and a good portion of the Fairmount/Montezuma gateway to College Area and SDSU.

According to Eric Poliak, a founding leader of the AEFSC, “A perfect firestorm exists in our neighborhood because our properties are surrounded by steep canyon vegetation which will burn uphill and can be difficult to defend. There are encampments and other ignition risks. And, because most of the homes were built in the 1950s and 60s, long before recent building codes were developed to provide for greater home safety. It’s really no longer a mystery as to how fires destroy neighborhoods, it’s an actual science with proven steps we can all take to help our families, our homes and our neighborhoods survive wildfire.”

Research informs practices to reduce wildfire risk to structures

Fire science and building research, like that conducted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), is informing the insurance industry, first responders, homeowners and others about what can be done to reduce wildfire risk to structures. The IBHS operates a large test chamber capable of subjecting full-scale residential structures to the likes of a Category 3 hurricane, as well as firebrand exposure (i.e., embers). IBHS and other fire studies show that one key reason homes catch fire is the intrusion of wind-blown embers from as far away as a mile, through wide-mesh air vents which predate the Chapter 7A California Building Code.

For example, once embers pass through open mesh vents they ignite interior materials such as insulation and stored items in an attic. The retrofit for homes in our VHFHSZs is to replace them with Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) listed and approved ember resistant vents, which depending on vent type (e.g., gable, soffit, foundation), use a combination of non-corrosive and non-combustible means to block embers.

fire pic 4 ctc aug. 9 — While not a neighborhood home, this photo was provided by SDFR staff as an example of what not to do. No stacking of wood or other ignitable debris in Zone 0. This first five feet around the perimeter of a home is considered the most important area to maintain to reduce the chance of its ignition by wildfire and wind-blown embers. (Courtesy photo).

Other flammability studies tested the fire behavior of bark and other landscape products; plants of different types, shapes and spacing; fencing, decking and other materials, to determine their ignitability of structures.

Research studies like these, are guiding the development of enhanced building materials, as well as policies and practices. Two foremost outcomes are the development and recommended use of ember resistant vents and the creation of a non-combustible zone (Zone 0) around the perimeter of homes and other structures, like ADUs and even sheds.

A Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) property assessment (structure and surrounding areas of vegetation), is becoming a key approach to helping homeowners learn about actions they should consider making to mitigate risks and increase their resilience to wildfire. For example, retrofitting the older style attic vents with new ember resistant vents is said to increase structure survivability by 90%.

Getting a professional assessment of a property

In a recent partnership between the AEFSC and San Diego Fire-Rescue (SDFR), interested homeowners living above Fairmount Avenue in Alvarado Estates received a professional assessment of their property while enabling SDFR firefighters to gain the practical experience of completing assessments.

Alex Kane is the assistant fire marshal of SDFR, the City’s fire department. In addition to his main duties of managing Inspection Services, he also leads the department’s course to train firefighters to become Home Ignition Zone – Defensible Space Inspectors. At the completion of each training session, which is certified through the Office of the State Fire Marshal, AFM Kane likes to provide a practical experience for trainees to implement what they just learned.

“The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is committed to reducing the risk of wildfire to our communities,” Kane said. “When Alvarado Estates established a Fire Safe Council demonstrating the community’s commitment to reducing their risk, the San Diego Fire Department wanted to recognize these efforts by meeting the community and providing additional value. The Home Ignition Zone Class was a great way to engage the community of Alvarado Estates and provide a win-win situation. We were able to train our first responders on home assessments and provide homeowners with recommendations on low cost/high impact upgrades to reduce vulnerability to wildfires and embers.”

fire 2 pic ctc aug. 9 — After this Meet and Greet with SDFR officials, SDPD, County Fire Safe Council representatives and residents, 25 firefighters completed the last step of a three day training by conducting personalized wildfire property assessments of at-risk hillside homes in Alvarado Estates. Homeowners each received a subsequent report which detailed things they can do to create defensible space and harden their home against wildfire. (Photo credit: Karen Austin)

The AEFSC organized a neighborhood event to welcome the 25 SDFR firefighters who were in the class, as well as top Fire Department officials, representatives of the San Diego Police Department, Fire Safe Council of San Diego County, SDG&E and numerous AE residents.

Morgan Dioli also attended the event in her role as the Wildfire Resilience program manager at the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County.

fire pic 3 ctc aug. 9 — A report following the personalized Wildfire Property Assessment of this home acknowledged several areas the homeowner has already addressed well: a Class A fire-rated synthetic shake roof, screen guards on rain gutters, and plants pruned away from the house. It also recommended additional steps the homeowner can take to further reduce ignition risk, such as removing the wood bark mulch within Zone 0, storing trash cans away from the house, keeping shrubs pruned and trimmed off the ground, and replacing the first 5 linear feet of the fence where it touches the house with a non-flammable material like metal. (Photo credit: Karen Austin)

According to Dioli, “There are currently 43 established Fire Safe Councils in San Diego County. They are community-led volunteer organizations, each working with their local fire agency and neighbors to prepare for wildfire.” Dioli, who works to support the efforts of local FSCs as part of her job, said, “The fire preparedness event in Alvarado Estates today is a great example of what can be accomplished by working collaboratively to provide resources and localized support to reduce neighborhood risks associated with wildfire.” Dioli also has a role in her own agency’s new Home Assessment Program which offers free property assessments to homeowners within the County, much like the ones done in Alvarado Estates.

After the neighborhood Meet & Greet, the 25 SDFR classmates worked in small groups to evaluate the 21 properties along the ridge above the recent wildfire on Fairmount Avenue. Jeanne Cunningham owns one of those homes with her wife, Stacey James. Realizing that wildfire can be ignited at any time, Cunningham attended the neighborhood event and requested a property evaluation to provide personalized recommendations to increase their wildfire preparedness. Later she said, “What a successful turnout this morning! It was very informative and helpful. I learned a great deal from the two fire personnel who inspected our property. We are ready to make some improvements and harden our home and grounds.”

Proactively preparing for the threat of wildfire

After a review of assessment findings, homeowners received a report directly from SDFR which identified risks on their property and listed defensible space and home hardening measures they can choose to implement if they’d like to proactively prepare for the threat of wildfire.

The most recommended action steps included:

Remove wood piles and other flammable items stored next to the house and under decks
Remove overhanging plants within 10’ of structures/decks, properly trim and maintaining vegetation per City guidelines
Enclose rain gutters to prevent the accumulation of flammable leaves
Enclose eaves under the roof line
Use class A fire-rated roofing material (typically when re-roofing)
Switch to dual-pane windows (typically at time of remodel),
Install listed and approved ember resistant vents
Use non-flammable deck and fence material, especially in the first 5 linear feet when attached to the house
Create a non-combustible Zone 0 around the perimeter of the home and other structures on the property (including attached fencing and gates in the first five linear feet).

“Zone 0” is the new term for the first five feet surrounding the outside of building structures. This 0-5 feet area, where homeowners typically have plants, bark mulch, wood piles and other items next to their home, is considered one of the foremost risks a homeowner should address to reduce the chance their home catches fire. Note: Specific regulations regarding what will be allowed in Zone 0 are currently being developed by the State of California.

Beyond Zone 0, homeowners should also pay special attention to vegetation areas from 5 to 30 feet and 30 to 100 feet to reduce the fuel load (e.g., dead, dying, stressed and excessive vegetation) by appropriate thinning and management. It’s not a one and done scenario, because plants continue to grow. The vegetation around homes and other structures needs periodic maintenance and homeowners are required to do so per City of San Diego Municipal Code (Refer to Bulletin #1: City Brush Management Guide).

It’s now wildfire season. The hottest, driest summer months of the year which extend into September and even October. Below are some of the many websites for information and support in San Diego to help you prepare for wildfire.

The Alvarado Estates Fire Safe Council is grateful to have received funding from the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation to conduct educational workshops and implement programs to prevent and also prepare for wildfire.

For a free Home Assessment and other information, contact the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County:

Preparing for Wildfire – Fire Safe Council of San Diego County

Contact the City of San Diego to start preparing for wildfire:

Wildland Fires | City of San Diego Official Website

City rules and guidance for brush management can be found at:

https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/fire/pdf/brushpdf.pdf

Editor’s note: Karen Austin is a founding leader of the Alvarado Estates Fire Safe Council. She also serves on her HOA board and represents her neighborhood on the College Area Community Council.

TOP CAPTION: San Diego Fire-Rescue crews extinguished this College Area brush fire on May 15, which started in an encampment on Fairmount Avenue near the eastbound on-ramp to Interstate 8. With the support of their Fire Safe Council and SDFR, homeowners in the adjacent neighborhood are taking steps to prepare their families and their homes for wildfire. (Photo credit: Tony Konja)