Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood Technical Standard
The Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood™ Technical Standard defines a science-based approach to reducing wildfire risk across entire neighborhoods—not just individual homes.
Developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the standard focuses on how wildfire interacts with the built environment and provides strategies to:
- Reduce the likelihood of ignition at the neighborhood edge
- Limit the impact of wind-driven embers
- Slow or stop fire spread between structures
- Enable neighborhoods to function as a system that resists wildfire
Who Uses the Technical Standard
Intended for professionals working to design new developments or improving resiliency of existing neighborhoods, including:
- Builders
- Developers
- Planners
- Engineers
- Architects
- Fire officials
- Community leaders
Performance-Based Approach
Because every neighborhood is different, the standard uses a performance-based approach that accounts for layout, structure spacing, surrounding vegetation, and local wildfire conditions. This allows mitigation strategies to be tailored to each community.
The standard integrates IBHS research, post-fire analysis, modeling, and full-scale testing to identify the most effective ways to reduce wildfire risk at the neighborhood level.
Stay In The Know
Want to keep up with the latest news from Wildfire Prepared Home? Sign up for updates today.

