Built for Wildfire is a free, anonymous, and easy-to-use web tool that helps homeowners, builders, architects, and local officials make safer, more informed decisions about wildfire-resistant home retrofits. It offers practical guidance on construction materials, upgrade strategies, and estimated costs, tailored to your home’s unique characteristics.
By answering a few simple questions about your home, you can quickly compare retrofit options for your roof, deck, vents, landscaping and more, with clear, actionable recommendations to guide your next steps.
Built for Wildfire is based on the best available science and was developed with input from experts in wildfire, construction, architecture, and building codes. It is intended as general guidance and should be used alongside local building regulations and professional advice.
The tool was developed by Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire, a program of Headwaters Economics, with generous support from the USDA Forest Service and private foundations. Headwaters Economics is an equal opportunity provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Built for Wildfire is a free, anonymous, and easy-to-use web tool that helps you identify and compare the most effective, affordable ways to make your home more wildfire resistant.
The tool was developed Headwaters Economics through its program, Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire. It was created with generous support from the USDA Forest Service and private foundations. Built for Wildfire was informed by experts in wildfire, construction, architecture, and building codes. Element 84 helped with the tool’s design.
Built for Wildfire is designed for homeowners, builders, architects, and local officials. It is free for anyone to use.
Retrofitting your home for wildfire resistance may come with big benefits:
- Better odds your home survives a wildfire. Homes built or retrofitted to resist wildfires are 40–60% more likely to survive—a major difference when fire strikes.
- Easier for firefighters to defend. Firefighters prioritize homes they can safely and effectively protect. Wildfire-resistant features make your home a stronger candidate.
- Improved access to insurance. Mitigation improvements may give you more insurance options in high-risk areas.
- Better resale prospects. Buyers are increasingly looking for homes built to withstand wildfire. That means greater market appeal—and potentially a higher selling price.
- Lower long-term maintenance costs. Many wildfire retrofits are low-cost upgrades that also cut down on repairs and upkeep over time.
- Safer communities. By reducing your home’s risk, you’re also protecting your neighbors and slowing the spread of wildfire in your area.
Data & Technical Questions
Recommended solutions in the Built for Wildfire tool are based on the best available science with input from experts in wildfire, construction, architecture, and building codes. Wildfire-resistant options are based on research from the Headwaters Economics report, The cost of retrofitting a home for wildfire resistance, produced in 2024 in partnership with CAL FIRE.
The options included in the tool generally align with best practices defined in the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, California’s wildfire building code known as Chapter 7a, and the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s program, Wildfire Prepared Home.
Recommendations rated “Good” generally meet basic standards. Recommendations rated “Best” generally meet higher standards and offer more protection.
The recommendations provided in this tool are for guidance only. Local requirements will vary. Check with local building code officials before starting any project. Read our full Terms and Conditions.
Cost estimates are based on the Headwaters Economics report, The cost of retrofitting a home for wildfire resistance, produced in 2024 in partnership with CAL FIRE and adjusted for inflation. Most costs are derived from RSMeans, a national database for the construction industry. Additional cost estimates were procured from suppliers, construction industry experts, or manufacturers. Unless otherwise noted, costs include labor and materials for demolition of non-fire-resistant components and replacement with fire-resistant options.
Costs are updated for inflation annually. The tool was last updated in June 2025.
Many fire departments and state fire agencies will provide free home assessments and recommendations. You can also find more information about your community’s wildfire risk at Wildfire Risk to Communities—a website created by the USDA Forest Service that includes maps and data about wildfire risk for all U.S. communities.
Legal, Insurance, & Privacy Information
The information you enter into the tool is completely anonymous and is never shared. Your information is temporarily stored on your device. To access your information later, you can save your unique web address or print the page.
No. The information you enter into the tool is completely anonymous and is never shared.
If you complete the retrofits recommended in Built for Wildfire or other wildfire mitigations, your insurance company may offer discounts or coverage retention. Contact your insurance company for more information.
See the full Terms and Conditions here.
About Defensible Space
How can I create defensible space?
Defensible space is the area between your home and anything that could catch fire, like plants, trees, and nearby structures. Keeping this space well-managed makes it less likely a fire will reach your home and gives firefighters a better chance to protect it. Combined with fire-resistant building materials, defensible space greatly improves your home’s chances of surviving a wildfire. Defensible space is usually divided into three zones:
Zone 0 (0–5 feet from your home): Remove all flammable materials so embers can’t ignite your house. Clear vegetation, dry leaves, and pine needles from your roof, gutters, decks, and the ground near your home. Replace bark mulch with gravel or pavers. Trim branches and avoid storing combustible items here. This zone has the biggest impact on protecting your home.
Zone 1 (5–30 feet from your home): Keep trees, shrubs, and other plants at least 10 feet apart. Make sure outbuildings, like sheds or garages, have 10 feet of clear space around them. Trim branches at least 6 feet off the ground (more if you have steep slopes or thick shrubs). Keep grass short and choose fire-resistant plants that you maintain regularly.
Zone 2 (30–100 feet from your home): Thin trees and brush to slow fire spread. Keep grass mowed. Make sure outbuildings continue to have 10 feet of clear space around them.
Read more about defensible space.