Protecting Your Home in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone

BHA members who live north of Sunset Blvd reside in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) (you can see the map here). This designation may affect your ability to obtain insurance as well as require additional documentation when you sell your home. A state bill passed in 2021 requires that when you sell property that is located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone, you’ll need documentation of a compliant Defensible Space Inspection. What is defensible space and how do you manage it? Find out at our June monthly meeting when we will have Commander David Barrett, Executive Director of MySafe:LA, join us to talk about hardening your home to protect it from wildfires.

Insuring Your Home in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone

Homeowners insurance in California is becoming harder to obtain, with major insurance companies like State Farm and Allstate no longer writing new policies. Consider these facts, according to the Insurance Information Institute, to understand the risk facing homeowners and insurers:

California leads the country with the most wildfires and number of acres burned;
1.2 million homes in California are at risk for extreme wildfire.

We encourage all of our members and neighbors to attend the LA Fire Safe Council meeting on June 15, when the special guest will be California State Insurance Deputy Commissioner J. S. Juarez. The zoom link for the meeting and more information on MySafe:LA and the Fire Safe Council can be found here.