New standards have been set to ensure the maintenance of defensible space and home hardening in wildfire-prone areas. According to the Woodside Fire Protection District Ordinance No. 24-01 and the 2022 California Fire Code, Building Code, and Residential Code, these guidelines outline essential requirements for property owners.

With many homes built in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), surrounded by forests, the guidelines provide crucial strategies to reduce structure ignitability. Regular landscape maintenance, including clearing flammable debris, is emphasized to break the continuous fuel supply and prevent small fires from becoming major wildfires.

Additionally, home-hardening through improved architectural design, the use of ember and ignition-resistant materials, and retrofitting existing buildings are highlighted as key factors in enhancing home survival during wildfires.

Download: The Guidelines for Defensible Space and Home Hardening (An interpretation to Fuel Mitigation Ordinance No. 24-01)