What should I do during a wildfire evacuation?

Unless you are trained and have the appropriate tools and storage water, you must evacuate when ordered to do so. Beforehand, prepare your "Go Bag" with medicine, credit cards, some cash, and 3 days of clothes. Make sure your pets also have their own Go Bag and a means to evacuate them, such as a crate. If you have time, turn off your gas supply and turn on your outdoor lights. Move everything combustible away from the home. More tips below:

What tools can I use to actively prevent my home from catching fire?

After your home audit, we can offer discounts on fire retardant gel, fire hoses and emergency pumps to name a few. Fire sprinklers can be quickly activated before you evacuate to help drench burning embers and keep the fire at bay, but only if you have access to stored water from a pool or storage tank. Refrain from using public water sources so firefighters can rely on hydrant water.

What areas do you serve?

Our services are currently focused in San Diego, Orange County, Riverside, Los Angeles and Southern California, but we hope to expand in more areas as we get more professionals trained. If you would like to be a Certified CFR Specialist, please contact us and we will get yo u started in your community!

What is Robust Home Defense LLC?

Robust Home Defense LLC is a service-based company dedicated to providing homeowners with tools and strategies to prepare their homes against wildfires. Our Advisory Board is comprised of fire chiefs, fire fighters, disaster trainers, insurance risk consultants, building consultants and more. We have seen the devastation of life and property over the past decade, and know that defensible space is not enough--you have to have an active fire fighting strategy and the tools to defend and protect your home. At Robust Home Defense, we are dedicated to helping homeowners get the training and tools to Prepare-Defend-Survive the next wild fire. By providing low-cost tools and equipment such as fire fighting gels, emergency water pumps and fire sprinklers, homeowners can do so much to protect their home before evacuation. Our training will help you prepare well ahead of the next fire to give your neighborhood a fighting chance to survive!

What is a defensible space?

Defensible space is the area around a home that has been maintained to reduce the risk of fire damage. It typically includes proper landscaping and clearing of anything combustible within 5-feet of the home. Trees should be limbed up 6-feet from the ground and not hang into the 5-foot zone. Out to 30-feet there should be no "fuel ladders" which can move flames from the ground to the tree tops. Move shrubbery away from tree bases, keep lawns green and cut low. 30-100 feet out, remove all dead vegetation and separate tree canopies by 10-feet. More tips below:

How can I stay updated on wildfire risks and safety tips?

You can subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media for the latest updates, tips, and resources related to wildfire safety.

Do you offer consultations?

Yes, we provide consultations to help homeowners understand their specific wildfire risks and the best steps to take for preparation. Our patent-pending Fire RiskScore(R) mobile app will apply credit to existing features while giving you a list of prioritized improvements to help survive a wild fire--or even a fire from next door. Many tips are low-cost and can be done in a few hours, while others such as dual-glazed or tempered windows can be very expensive. We'll help you define your best strategy that fits your budget, and give you the tools to help defend your home.

Tell me more about the Community Fire Response Team

To achieve the highest risk score for your home, it is important to have support in a wild fire. When your neighbors are also involved, resources are shared. If you have pool water, and can share it with your neighbors, your home has more protection. Early evacuation of the elderly, large animals and children can be better planned when neighbors help each other, and it's a great way to feel safe when you are away. Knowing that you have neighbors who can access your fire equipment, gel and prep your home ahead of a fire if you are away is a great security blanket for your home.

Why should I prepare my home for wildfires?

The recent LA fires have become the largest asset loss in US history, topping $160 billion in damages. Twenty-eight people died. Home insurance prices may skyrocket or become unavailable if your home is at high-risk for being lost in a wildfire. Even the insurance of last resort--The California Fair Plan--may require you to fire harden your home. And, it's the law in California. Public Resources Code Section 4291 requires properties in high fire hazard zones to maintain defensible space around structures. AB 3074 establishes a 5-foot ember-resistant zone around structures where flammable material and vegetation must be removed. Although it is uncertain if the laws go too far to restrict a property owner's rights, it is clear that homes can be fortified to resist wildfire and house-to-house ignition as we saw in the LA fires of 2025. It simply make sense to save your home by installing simple improvement such as ember-resistant screens, which is the leading cause of wildfire ignition. But other measures may be very costly, especially in older homes. Replacement of single pane windows to tempered dual pane windows can easily cost $25,000 or more. Replacing combustible siding with non-combustible siding can run $30,000 for a typical home. These measures are more likely to cause concern for homeowners with the potential for litigation if they are fined for not improving their property according to the law. Read the California Senate Bill SB326 (2025) here:

Can I get insurance discounts?

Yes! In California, recently enacted regulations require insurers to provide discounts to consumers for home hardening actions, including a Class A roof surface, a 5-foot ember-resistant zone around the home, ember-resistant vents, and non-combustible cladding around the base of the home to name a few. The more features you have, the better your potential savings. By completing as many of these features, you may qualify for better insurance coverage, and eventually at more competitive rates. Outside California, we are pressing our insurance company contacts to support these efforts as well as offer incentives for active fire suppression efforts. Click the Safer from Wildfires button below for more information.

How do I know if my home is in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone?

The California State Fire Marshall has developed a detailed map that outlines if your home is in a moderate, high or very high FHSZ. Click here to use this interactive tool:

FAQ | Robust Home Defense

If you are in Southern California, become a Pack Ambassador and you will receive our Certified FireRisk™ Audit for free! Plus you'll get a detailed assessment and an action plan on what items will provide the best risk reduction at the lowest cost. We'll also customize a fire equipment plan so you are only buying what you really need to protect your property. There are so many benefits of our Pack Ambassador plan, including free equipment replacement if you ever use your equipment in a fire, to free annual maintenance and free replacement of defective equipment. If you'd like to go it alone, there are resources including the Fire Wise Program, Cal-Fire and more.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get started with preparing my home for wildfire?