Wildfire Prepared Home – Base vs. Plus

Which Level Is Right for Your Home?

Wildfire Prepared Home offers two designation levels—currently called Base and Plus —that are being renamed to Essential and Enhanced to better reflect the level of protection provided.
The standards are not changing—only the names.

These two levels are designed to reduce a home’s ignition risk during a wildfire event. Because wind-blown embers cause most home ignitions, the program begins with essential ember defense at the Base (Essential) level. The Plus (Enhanced) level builds on this foundation with added protection against flames and radiant heat.

Most existing homes can be retrofitted to achieve Base (Essential), while new construction or major exterior renovations often pursue Plus (Enhanced), when higher-performance building materials are easier to incorporate.

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Choose Your Level of Protection

Base (Essential) – Essential Ember Protection	Plus (Enhanced) – Enhanced Protection from Radiant Heat and Flames
The Base level focuses on essential home protection from wind-blown embers, the leading cause of home ignition. Best for: • Most existing homes • Homeowners beginning wildfire mitigation • Properties addressing defensible space and key building vulnerabilities	The Plus level builds on Base by adding enhanced protection against flames and radiant heat exposure. Best for: • New construction • Major exterior renovations (windows, siding, decks) • Homeowners seeking higher levels of wildfire resilience

Important to Know

To earn a designation, all required actions for your selected level must be completed, because wildfire will exploit the weakest link around a home.

To achieve the Plus (Enhanced) level, you must first meet all Base (Essential) requirements and complete the additional Plus requirements.

Compare Base (Essential) vs. Plus (Enhanced) Requirements

Use this chart to see how the two levels differ across defensible space, building features, and upgrades. This overview helps you understand the differences and choose the right path for your home.

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The Base level focuses on essential protection from wind-blown embers—the leading cause of home ignition. Embers can accumulate in vulnerable areas such as vents, gutters, mulch beds, along fences, at the foundation, and beneath or above decks. These small ignition points can quickly grow into fires that spread to the structure.

During large wildfire events, homes may need to withstand prolonged ember exposure without immediate firefighting support. That’s why effective wildfire preparation must be comprehensive—addressing every vulnerability—because embers will exploit the weakest link.

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The Plus level builds on Base by adding enhanced protection against flames and radiant heat. To achieve Plus (Enhanced), all Base (Essential) requirements must be completed, along with additional upgrades.

As wildfire conditions intensify and direct flame contact and radiant heat become greater threats, this level focuses on strengthening key building features and improving defensible space within 30 feet of the home.

* Hover over the dots to learn more...

Choose Your Level of Protection

Download the Full Preparation Checklist:

For the complete set of requirements for each level, download the How-To Prepare My Home Checklist. This guide walks you through the actions to complete before applying and what’s needed for your home to qualify for an in-person evaluation.

Download the Checklist