We recently posted a 10-point list of the factors that the California Department of Insurance (CDI) considers important to defending your home from wildfire.
We have been wondering if the DDI intends to enforce them in the near future. The answer was not slow in coming.
On March 8, 2025, Doug K., from Berkeley, posted on NextDoor (only his local residents will be able to see this link):
"FAIR Plan cancellation. I just learned today that the FAIR Plan can cancel your policy if they find that you haven’t properly upgraded your house. I learned this by hearing about a homeowner in Piedmont whose FAIR plan insurance was cancelled because he had a tree overhanging his roof and moss on the roof. So I checked it out and, yes, they can do that.
My take away is that we all need to start hardening our homes."
We should all expect to see these standards trickle down all over the Wilderness Urban Interface (WUI) areas in California, such as the Berkeley Hills. The first two on the list are are:
- Class-A fire rated roof – Most roofs qualify including asphalt shingles, concrete, brick, or masonry tiles, and metal shingles or sheets. Wood shake shingles are not Class A fire-resistant rated. The Office of the State Fire Marshal maintains a list of tested and approved materials.
- 5 foot ember resistant zone, including fencing – Removing greenery and replacing wood chips with stone or decomposed granite 5 feet around your home prevents fire from getting a foot in the door. Replacing wood fencing connecting to your home with metal is critical because it can act like a candle wick leading fire straight to your home.
The last point, as we all know by now, corresponds to Berkeley’s EMBER proposal.