Comprehensive Guide to Financial Assistance for CA Home Hardening & Community Protection

Last Updated: October 2025

California State Programs

CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grants

Program Type: Competitive grants for community-scale projects
Funding Amount: Up to $950,000 per project (equipment capped at $750,000)
Total Available (FY 2025-26): $135 million
Eligible Activities:

• Hazardous fuels reduction

• Wildfire prevention planning

• Wildfire prevention education

• Home hardening (when part of community projects)

• Defensible space creation

Eligible Applicants:

• State agencies

• Local governments

• Native American Tribes

• Water districts

• Nonprofits

• HOAs and community organizations

Priority Given To:

• Disadvantaged communities

• Low-income populations

• Projects reducing carbon emissions

Application Deadline: Check website - typically annual cycles
Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/grants/wildfire-prevention-grants
Contact: WPGrants@fire.ca.gov | 916-639-0476

California Safer from Wildfires Insurance Discounts

Program Type: Mandated insurance premium discounts
Implemented: September 2024
Discount Triggers:

• Ember-resistant vents

• Dual-pane tempered windows

• Class A fire-resistant roofing

• Non-combustible siding/decking

• Defensible space (5ft, 30ft, 100ft zones)

• Firewise USA community designation

• Fire Risk Reduction Community designation

Important Note: Discounts vary significantly by insurer and are generally modest (0.1%-5% depending on measures)

Website: https://www.insurance.ca.gov

California Safe Homes Act (AB 888) - NEW 2025

Program Type: Grant program for individual homeowners
Administered By: California Department of Insurance
Funding: Covers part or all costs of:

• Fire-safe roofs (new or replacement)

• "Zone Zero" mitigation (5 feet around home)

Eligible Homeowners:

• Qualifying residents in high fire hazard zones

• Low-income households prioritized

• Income limits vary by county:

  • Inland Empire: $82,000 (4-person household)

  • LA County: $110,950 (4-person household)

  • Orange County: $126,250 (4-person household)

Status: Implementation underway in 2025
Website: https://www.insurance.ca.gov
Contact: California Department of Insurance

CAL FIRE Forest Health Grants

Program Type: Restoration and reforestation
Activities Include:

• Fuels reduction

• Prescribed fire

• Pest management

• Biomass utilization

May Include: Home hardening when integrated with forest health projects
Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/grants

CAL FIRE Tribal Wildfire Resilience Grants

Program Type: Grants specifically for California tribes
Funding Amount: $250,000 - $3,000,000 per project
Activities:

• Cultural and prescribed burns

• Shaded fuel breaks

• Forest health projects

• Workforce development/training

• Traditional Ecological Knowledge integration

Eligible: California Native American Tribes on ancestral lands
Next Solicitation: Winter 2025
Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/grants/tribal-wildfire-resilience

California Strategic Growth Council Programs

Community Resilience Centers
Transformative Climate Communities
Focus: Disadvantaged communities, disaster preparation
Website: https://sgc.ca.gov

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA)
Funded by voter-approved Measure C - $20 million annually

For All Residents:

• Free home wildfire risk evaluations

• Up to $2,500 per parcel in grants (FY 2024-25)

• Maximum $15,000 total per parcel over 10-year measure period

• No matching funds required

Eligible Projects:

• Home hardening (vents, gutters, roofs, fencing/gates, siding)

• Defensible space vegetation clearing

• Zone 0 and Zone 1 work

How to Access:

1. Schedule free Wildfire Risk Home Evaluation

2. Receive customized risk report

3. Apply for grants for high-priority risks identified

4. Complete work and submit documentation for reimbursement

Website: https://www.marinwildfire.org/resident-info/resident-grants
Email: grants@marinwildfire.org

Contra Costa County Wildfire Mitigation Program
Funded by Measure X

Available Programs:

1. Low Income Exterior Hazard Control Program

• Amount: Up to $1,500 per property

• Eligibility: Must meet Contra Costa County low-income guidelines

• Services: Pre-approved contractors perform:

  • Overgrown/dead vegetation removal

  • Weed abatement

  • Combustible rubbish/debris removal

  • Tree litter clearing

2. Community Programs (Application-Based)

• Community chipping days (min. 10 homes)

• Evacuation route cleanup

• Firewise USA community support

• Shaded fuel breaks

• Vegetation management projects

Website: https://www.cccfpd.org/wildfire-mitigation-program
Contact: Con Fire Prevention

Important: All Contra Costa County residents eligible regardless of local fire district

Napa County | Solano County

ReCoverCA Owner-Occupied Mitigation Grants
For low-income homeowners only

Amount: Up to $50,000 per property
Eligibility:

• Must be homeowner in Napa County

• Earn under 80% of Area Median Income

• Do NOT need to have been impacted by 2020 disasters

Eligible Activities:

• Defensible space creation

• Home hardening measures

Program Structure:

• Work performed by program contractors

• No reimbursement for already-completed work

• Project management firm handles all work

Website: https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-and-funding/recoverca

Sonoma County

Fire Safe Sonoma

ReCoverCA Program Available:
Up to $50,000 for low-income homeowners (same as Napa/Solano)

Additional Resources:

• Conservation Works - North Bay Forest Improvement Program

• Awarded $5.9 million in CAL FIRE grants (2025) for private property projects

• Serves Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, and Napa counties

• Will begin accepting applications summer 2025

Contact: Conservation Works for assistance with private landowner projects

Website: https://www.firesafesonoma.org

Placer County (Tahoe Basin & Western Slope)

North Tahoe Fire Protection District

Free Grant-Funded Defensible Space Inspections:

• Available May 1 - October 31 annually

• Schedule by area (Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Truckee, etc.)

• Covers most North Tahoe communities

Exception: Alpine Springs County Water District (cost-recovery fee applies)

Chipping Program Available

Real Estate/AB38 Inspections: Contact CAL FIRE NEU at 530-889-0111 ext. 1024

Fire Safe Council Programs:

• Sierra Nevada Conservancy grants fund community-scale projects

• Firewise USA community assistance

Placer County Senior/Disabled Assistance:

• Up to $5,000 for defensible space clearing

• Must be 65+ with income under $50,000 OR disabled

• Property owner in unincorporated Placer County

• Contact: Doug Miller (916) 412-3684

Website: https://www.ntfire.net/defensible-space-program

California Wildfire Mitigation Program - Weber Creek Pilot

• Up to 525 homes eligible for:

  • Defensible space clearing

  • Home hardening retrofits

  • NO COST to homeowners

• Five-year grant program

• Focus: Weber Creek drainage area

County-Wide Programs:

• Free defensible space inspections/assessments

• Coordinated program across rural and low-income areas

• 32 partner agencies and fire safe councils active

Fire Safe Council Network:

• 20 active grants totaling $16.6+ million

• 32 agencies and regional councils coordinating

• Publication: "The Wildfire Preparedness Workbook"

Real Estate/AB38 Inspections: CAL FIRE AEU at 530-708-2793

Website: Contact El Dorado County CAO - Office of Wildfire Preparedness
Fire Safe Council Chair: Ken Pimlott (Retired CAL FIRE Chief)

Douglas County, Nevada (Lake Tahoe Area)

Status: Nevada programs differ from California

Available Resources:

• Nevada Division of Forestry programs

• Fire Adapted Nevada Partnership

• Community Wildfire Protection Plans

• Washoe Tribe wildfire resilience programs (if applicable)

Contact: Nevada Division of Forestry
Phone: 775-684-2519
Email: fan@forestry.nv.gov

Washoe County, Nevada (Lake Tahoe Area)

Washoe County Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan
Submitted to FEMA April 2025

Programs:

• Nevada Division of Forestry coordination

• Galena Creek Regional Park project (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Crisis Strategy funding)

• Washoe Tribe partnership programs

• Community Wildfire Protection Plans

Resources:

• Fire Adapted Nevada Partnership

• USDA Forest Service grants

• Nevada state forestry programs

Website: https://www.washoecounty.gov/em
Nevada Division of Forestry: 775-684-2519

Los Angeles County

California Safe Homes Act (AB 888) - Pending Full Implementation
Income Limit (4-person household): $110,950

Post-2025 Wildfire Relief Programs:

LA County Household Relief Grant (Disaster Recovery - Already Distributed)

• $31.7 million distributed to 3,425 households

• $6,000-$18,000 per household

• Prioritized families with children, elderly, disabled, displaced

CalAssist Mortgage Fund (Disaster Recovery)

• Up to $20,000 (3 months mortgage payments)

• For homes destroyed/uninhabitable in disasters with Governor emergency proclamation

• Applications opened June 2025

Statewide Programs Available:

• California Safe Homes Act grants (when implemented)

• Insurance mitigation discounts

• CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grants (community level)

Fire Safe Councils: Active throughout LA County

Website: https://lacounty.gov/relief
California Safe Homes: https://www.insurance.ca.gov