About Wildfire Prepared Home

Turning Wildfire Science into Action

When most people imagine wildfire destroying homes, they picture a wall of flames moving through a neighborhood. In reality,  most structures ignite from wind-blown embers —small burning pieces of vegetation or building materials that can travel more than a mile ahead of the fire front.

These embers accumulate in vulnerable areas around homes—such as vents, gutters, mulch beds, against fences, against the structure at the foundation, and above decks—where they can start small spot fires that can spread to the building. During large wildfire events, homes and structures may need to withstand these ember storms without immediate firefighting intervention. Preparing the home and surrounding property ahead of time can significantly reduce the chance of ignition.

The Wildfire Prepared Home program  translates wildfire science into practical actions homeowners can take to strengthen their property and reduce wildfire risk. Homeowners who complete the required mitigation actions and pass a third-party verification can earn a  Wildfire Prepared Home designation certificate, demonstrating that their home has taken proven steps to reduce wildfire risk.

Review Eligibility

Who Is IBHS?

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is an independent nonprofit research organization funded by the insurance industry. Its mission is to reduce losses from natural disasters by turning scientific research into stronger homes and communities.

IBHS operates the IBHS Research Center in South Carolina—one of the world’s largest disaster research facilities—where scientists recreate full-scale conditions including high winds, wind-driven rain, hail, and wildfire exposure to study how buildings perform.

This research informs programs like FORTIFIED™ for wind resilience and Wildfire Prepared Home™ for wildfire risk reduction, helping homeowners and builders understand which actions most effectively reduce damage.

Learn more about IBHS research

How Homes Ignite During Wildfires

Homes ignite in three ways during wildfires:

Wind-Blown Embers:
- Burning debris carried by wind can travel long distances ahead of the fire front and ignite vulnerable areas around homes.
Radiant Heat
- Heat from nearby burning vegetation or structures can ignite materials without direct flame contact.
Direct Flame Contact
- Flames from burning vegetation or structures reach the structure itself.

Because embers cause the majority of home ignitions, effective mitigation begins with protecting homes from ember exposure.

A Systems-Based Approach to Wildfire Mitigation

Wildfire Prepared Home focuses on the vulnerabilities that research shows most often lead to home ignition.

Because wildfire will exploit the weakest link, mitigation works best when multiple vulnerabilities are addressed together, including defensible space, building features, and ember intrusion pathways.

Homes that address these vulnerabilities are more likely to withstand ember exposure and survive until firefighting resources can respond.

Wildfire Prepared Home Program Levels

Wildfire Prepared Home offers two designation levels that reflect different levels of protection.

Base Level
Focuses on protection from wind-blown embers, the leading cause of home ignitions. Most existing homes can be retrofitted to achieve the Base level.

Plus Level
Builds on the Base level by adding protections against flames and radiant heat. This level is often achieved during new construction or major exterior renovations.

Compare Levels- Base vs. Plus

Eligibility

Before applying for a Wildfire Prepared Home designation, confirm that your property meets the following requirements.

Program Availability by State
- The program is currently available in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Applicant
- The applicant must be the property/homeowner.

Property Status
- Properties under active construction are not eligible for designation.

Photo Documentation
- Applicants must submit clear photos of all four sides of the home, including the 0–5 Foot Noncombustible Zone and key property features, such as pergolas, hot tubs, and propane tanks.

Photos of eligible homes with the 0–5 Foot Noncombustible Zone

Eligible Dwelling Types

Eligible homes must:

Be located on a permanent foundation

Be three stories or fewer above grade

Comply with applicable state and local Wildland–Urban Interface (WUI) building codes

Eligible dwelling types include:

Single-Family Detached Homes
Freestanding residential homes designed for occupancy by one household. This category includes factory-built modular homes built in compliance with applicable building codes.

Modular Homes
Homes constructed in sections in a factory and assembled on-site, built to the same state and local building codes as site-built homes.

HUD-Code Manufactured Homes Built After July 1994
Homes manufactured to HUD’s Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards adopted after July 1994.

Important Considerations

The Wildfire Prepared Home designation has strict requirements with no exceptions.

Protected trees within the 0–5 Foot Noncombustible Zone may disqualify some properties if they cannot legally be removed.

Property owners may need to coordinate with neighbors or Homeowners Associations (HOAs) to meet the required setback for the 0–5 Foot Noncombustible Zone.

A 0–5 Foot Noncombustible Zone around the home and attached structures (such as decks) is required. This area must contain only noncombustible materials. All combustible items—including vegetation, trees and overhanging branches, grass, artificial turf, wood mulch, wood or vinyl fencing, and stored items—must be removed.

Have more questions? Visit the FAQs to learn more.

How the Designation Process Works

Preparing a home for designation involves completing the mitigation actions, submitting documentation, and passing an independent verification.

Step 1 – Complete the Required Mitigation

Before applying, homeowners must complete the mitigation actions outlined in the How-To Prepare My Home Checklist, which is based on the Wildfire Prepared Home Technical Standard.

The checklist outlines all required actions for:

Base Level

Plus Level

During a wildfire exposure will find the weakest link around the home. That’s why homeowners must complete all required actions for their selected level to earn the designation.

Step 2 – Apply Online

When the mitigation work is complete, apply through the Wildfire Prepared Home Portal.

Apply here: wildfireprepared.org/portal

Applicants will:

Create an account (using an existing Google account or create a new account)

Start the home application

Add a co-owner and/or secondary contact email (optional)*

Select a service option**

Pay the $125 non-refundable application fee

Important: Use an email address you check regularly. This email will be used to send status updates throughout the application process and for annual review reminders.

*Optional Contacts– Homeowners may add a co-owner or a secondary contact, such as an insurance agent. These contacts will receive the same status updates during the application process.

**Service Options- Homeowners may complete the process themselves or choose to work with a professional partner.

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Service
For homeowners who have completed the mitigation work and are ready to apply.

Full-Service Option
Applicants may choose to work with Madronus, a partner that provides mitigation guidance, project design, and coordination with vetted contractors. This optional service includes additional fees and is managed directly through Madronus.

Step 3 – Submit Eligibility Photos

After submitting the application, homeowners upload eligibility photos of the property.

Required photos must show:

All four sides of the home

The 0–5 Foot Noncombustible Zone

Key features such as decks, porches, pergolas, hot tubs, and propane tanks

Clear photos help speed up the review process. During the eligibility review, the Wildfire Prepared Audit Team may request additional photos or mitigation updates. These Change Requests will appear in the applicant’s dashboard and be sent by email.

Applicants have 60 days to complete the requested updates and upload updated photos. If the required updates are not completed within that time, the application will close and a new application would be required to continue the process.

Once eligibility photos are approved, a qualified third-party evaluator will conduct an in-person evaluation. 

Step 4 – In-Person Evaluation Process

A qualified third-party evaluator schedules and visits the home to:

Verify building materials

Confirm that required mitigation work has been completed

Collect verification photos

The Wildfire Prepared Audit Team then reviews the uploaded documentation to determine whether the home meets all program requirements.

If additional items need to be addressed, the applicant may receive Change Requests from the Wildfire Prepared Home audit team requesting updates before a designation can be issued.

Step 5 – Designation Issued

If the property meets all requirements, IBHS issues a Wildfire Prepared Home designation certificate with the level achieved.

The designation is valid for three years, with annual reviews required to confirm that the mitigation measures are maintained.

Step 6 – Maintaining the Designation

To keep the designation Active, homeowners complete two Annual Reviews —one at the 1-year and 2-year anniversary of their designation.

During each Annual Review, homeowners submit updated photos of all sides of the home to confirm that:

Required mitigation measures are still being maintained

Any new features (such as fences, decks, or structures) remain compliant with program requirements

These reviews confirm the mitigation work is still being maintained.

As the 3-year designation period approaches, homeowners can apply for designation renewal. This ensures mitigation measures continue protecting the home against wildfire risk.

Have more questions? Visit the FAQs to learn more.