Is my California home at risk for wildfires? This tool lets you check your ZIP code
As wildfires rage in the Los Angeles area, California residents may be wondering how fires could affect their homes.
About 71.8 million homes in the country had minor to extreme risk for wildfires in 2022, according to a study published by nonprofit research group First Street Foundation.
That number was expected to grow by 11.1% — to 79.8 million — by 2050 due to climate change.
More than 4.6 million properties in California, or about 40% of the state, had at least “moderate” risk of burning in a wildfire some time in the next 30 years, the study found.
The danger of fire-related property damage is particularly high for Southern California residents, as recent blazes indicate.
In Los Angeles County, the Palisades Fire and other wildfires had burned more than 27,000 acres, destroyed up to 2,000 structures and killed at least five people as of Thursday, Jan. 9.
About 27% of homes in Los Angeles have “major risk” of being affected by wildfire over the next 30 years, according to First Street Foundation. That’s 246,417 residential properties in all.
Want to know your home’s wildfire risk? Here’s how to find out:
Is my California home at risk for wildfires? How to check
You can see where your California home stands in terms of risks for wildfires, floods and other threats by using Risk Factor, an online tool provided by First Street Foundation.
The tool also shows how many commercial and residential properties are at risk for fires, records of historic wildfires in your area and factors that make your area vulnerable for fires.
Go to the Risk Factor website and input your ZIP code in the search bar.
This graph shows the 10 counties in California with the most properties at risk for wildfires in 2022:
How to prepare your property for wildland fires
You can take measures to protect your home before a major fire sparks.
According to ReadyforWildfire.org, a resource guide from the California Department of Fire and Forestry, your home can catch on fire from flying embers, direct flames from a fire or nearby burning home and radiant heat from burning plants and buildings.
You can retrofit your California home with more fire-resistant materials by opting for metal, clay or tile materials for your roof.
Sealing off gaps between shingles and removing leaves and debris from your roof will also help decrease the risk of wildfire damage, Cal Fire said.
You should also install smoke detectors, make an emergency supply kit and create an evacuation plan that includes escape routes by foot and car, officials said.
This story was originally published January 9, 2025 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Is my California home at risk for wildfires? This tool lets you check your ZIP code."