Wildfire Adapted Sonoma County

There are 14 project areas in the Wildfire Adapted project. These areas were selected based on wildfire hazard severity, population density, potential for home loss, and consultation with local fire authorities. The Wildfire Adapted program is just one effort to reduce the risk of wildfire. You can learn more about our other Risk Reduction Programs and Planning Efforts.

The Sonoma County Wildfire Adapted program is a pilot program that uses community-scale risk-reduction techniques to reduce wildfire’s potential for home destruction.

Vegetation and other fuels near structures can increase the risk of fire spreading and the embers and heat from a wildfire can exploit building vulnerabilities. The Wildfire Adapted program helps residents in pre-determined, high-risk areas understand how to create defensible space and harden homes against the heat and embers of wildfire.   

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On this page:

• Wildfire Adapted Project Areas 
• Adapt Your Home - What Does the Wildfire Adapted Program Do?
• Phase One: Assessments
• Phase Two: Implementation
• Contact Information

Phase One: Defensible Space and Home Wildfire Risk Assessments

Assessments identify risk-reduction strategies on and near your home and are not part of a code enforcement program.

• Home Wildfire Risk Assessment
  Home hardening means replacing or modifying parts of buildings that can cause them to catch fire, especially from windblown embers. After each assessment, our trained assessors provide a list of potential vulnerabilities and what can be done to reduce risk. Like Defensible Space Assessments, these assessments are not part of a code compliance program. 
  
  
• Defensible Space Assessments
  Permit Sonoma’s professional fire inspectors go to homes in the program area to provide a free wildfire risk assessment of vegetation within 100 feet of buildings. These assessments provide information on essential vegetation management and risk-reduction techniques that can help reduce home ignition. The goal of the program is to inspire residents toward positive action.

Phase Two: Implementation & Funding

In April 2025, FEMA indicated via press release that the BRIC program will be discontinued. The State of California, administrator of the federal wildfire mitigation grants, has informed the County that Wildfire Resilient Communities (the BRIC grant) implementation funding ($40,090,020) may not be awarded. Additionally, due to capacity changes and restructuring in the federal programs, the County’s HMGP grants (Wildfire Adapted Part 1 and 2, and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project) have experienced significant delays in awarding and releasing implementation funding, which risks the County’s ability to complete implementation of grant activities if awarded. Given this uncertain environment, Permit Sonoma is pausing wildfire-related grant activities at the end of September 2026. The County will monitor changes closely, complete remaining grant obligations, advance wildfire risk planning and partnerships where possible, and notify the public and partners of changes to the grants.

Sonoma County's recent experience with wildfires and increasing concerns about the availability and cost of homeowner’s insurance are significantly increasing pressure on residents to take action to reduce risk. The Wildfire Adapted program aims to provide guidance, identify constraints, and identify options to help you move forward. Remember this is our community, and our shared responsibility.

Wildfire resilience is a team sport. SoCo Adapts works side-by-side with local fire districts, CAL FIRE, Sonoma County Fire District, Rancho Adobe Fire District, FEMA, Fire Safe Sonoma Cal-OES and other trusted organziations to bring cutting-edge science, training, and resources to Sonoma County. Thier expertise amplifies our grant programs - turning best practices into on-the-ground action that protects homes, forest and future generations. 

For more information and/or questions about the Wildfire Adapted program, email us at WildfireAdapted@sonomacounty.net or call us at (707) 565-8575.