Montecito’s Home Hardening Assistance Program grew from lessons learned during the Thomas Fire and recommendations incorporated into the 2019 Community Wildfire Protection Plan update. Those recommendations included helping homeowners improve their homes’ resistance to wildfire through structural retrofits and safer landscaping.

The Palisades and Eaton fires reinforce the importance of preparing homes and neighborhoods together. A home’s exposure can include embers, burning vegetation and nearby structures. Reducing ignition vulnerabilities on individual properties can also help limit fire spread through the community.

Montecito Fire Department funds this program through its Fire Defense Zone Budget to help residents complete improvements that reduce these vulnerabilities.

Resources & Peer-Reviewed Studies 

• Housing arrangement and vegetation factors associated with single-family home survival in the 2018 Camp Fire
• Structure Losses in the Camp Fire-A Conversation with Eric Knapp and Yana Valachovic
• Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety: Near-Building Noncombustible Zone
• CA Department of Insurance: Commissioner Lara and state emergency agencies issue “Safer from Wildfires” framework to protect existing homes and communities
• FSRI Southern California Fires Incident Analysis Report

The following actions are eligible under the program:

Ember-Resistant Zone: The First 5 Feet:

Creating a noncombustible area within the first 5 feet of your home helps reduce the chance that embers ignite materials next to the structure and spread fire to your home.

Eligible improvements include:

• Replacing wood or rubber mulch with gravel, stone, pavers or concrete.

• Removing vegetation and combustible landscaping materials within 5 feet of the home.

• Replacing combustible pergolas or decks near or attached to the home with noncombustible materials.

Our Wildland Fire Specialists can help identify appropriate improvements for your property. Keep this area, including beneath attached decks, free of accumulated leaves, needles and stored combustible materials.

(See photos below for examples)

Example of bird stops on a tile roof.

Example of Gutter Guard installed.

Example of Zone 0 compliance retrofit- all combustible material and vegetation was removed within the first 5' from the home.

Example of window retrofit from single pane to dual pane tempered glass.

Example of the first 5' feet of combustible fence replaced with non-combustible.

Window Retrofits:

Replace single-pane windows with dual-pane windows that include at least one pane of tempered glass. Heat from burning vegetation or nearby structures can cause windows to break, creating openings for flames and embers to enter the home. Dual-pane windows with tempered glass help reduce this vulnerability.

Our Wildland Fire Specialists can help identify priority windows based on nearby vegetation, combustible materials and neighboring structures.

Wood Fence and Gate Retrofits:

Replace wood fencing and gates within 5 feet of the home, including sections attached to exterior walls, with noncombustible materials. A burning wood fence can carry fire directly to the home. Replacing these sections helps interrupt that pathway.

Our Wildland Fire Specialists can help identify priority sections based on the fence’s connection to your home and nearby combustible materials.

(See video below for examples)

Ember-Resistant Vent Retrofits:

Replace existing vents with flame and ember resistant models listed by the California State Fire Marshal. These vents help reduce the potential for embers and flames to enter attic and crawl spaces and ignite combustible materials inside the home.

Use the current State Fire Marshal Listed Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Products Handbook to identify eligible products. Have a licensed contractor confirm that the selected vents are appropriate for your home and maintain required ventilation.

Not sure which vents to choose? Contact our Wildland Fire Specialists at (805) 969-7762 for guidance. Before purchasing, give us the manufacturer so we can verify its State Fire Marshal listing and eligibility for reimbursement. Have a licensed contractor confirm that the vents are appropriate for your home and maintain required ventilation.

Roofing Retrofits: 

Roof Covering
Replace combustible roof coverings, such as wood shakes or shingles, with a Class A fire-rated roofing assembly. Have a licensed roofing contractor confirm that the complete roof assembly meets the required rating.

Roof Gaps and Bird Stops
Install appropriate bird stops or other approved closures at openings beneath roof tiles and along roof edges. These openings can allow embers to reach debris and combustible materials beneath the roof covering. A licensed roofing contractor should identify suitable closures that maintain required ventilation and drainage.

Gutters and Gutter Guards
Keep roofs and gutters free of leaves, pine needles and other combustible debris. Noncombustible gutter guards can help reduce debris accumulation, but regular inspection and cleaning are still necessary.

Who Can Apply:

• Applicants must be the legal owners of a residential property within the Montecito Fire Protection District. Use the eligibility map linked HERE to check whether your property is within the District.
• Applicants must participate in a property assessment conducted by a Montecito Wildland Fire Specialist.
• Funding is limited. Meeting eligibility requirements does not guarantee reimbursement.

Step 1: Schedule a Property Assessment

Call (805) 969-7762 to schedule an assessment. Our Wildland Fire Specialists will identify required, recommended and optional improvements and help you prioritize projects that may qualify for reimbursement.

Discuss your proposed work with us before purchasing materials or hiring a contractor. Confirmation that a project is eligible does not guarantee reimbursement.

Step 2: Complete the Improvements

Hire a contractor of your choice to complete the eligible work. Homeowners are responsible for paying project costs before requesting reimbursement.

Take clear photographs before work begins and after it is completed.

Step 3: Submit Your Application 

Include:

• Before-and-after photographs showing the improvements.
• An itemized invoice identifying the work completed, completion date and property address.
• The contractor’s name, contact information and license number.
• Proof of payment.

Step 4: Application Review

Applications are evaluated based on wildfire exposure, existing structural vulnerabilities, defensible space conditions, the improvements completed and their potential benefit to the surrounding community.

Because funding is limited, applications are ranked by wildfire risk and the expected benefit of the improvements. Properties in Montecito’s highest wildfire risk areas receive priority. Meeting the program’s eligibility requirements does not guarantee reimbursement.

Step 5: Reimbursement

Approved applicants may receive reimbursement for eligible expenses up to a maximum of $10,000 per property. Only work completed on or after January 1, 2025, is eligible.

Assistance is available once per property. After a property receives funding, it is not eligible for additional payments through the program.

If your application is approved for funding, we will provide instructions for completing the reimbursement forms. You may choose direct deposit or a mailed check.

Questions?

Call (805) 969-7762 to discuss your project or request a property assessment.