Riverside homeowners living in areas the state says are prone to wildfires will be receiving a letter in the next few months about upcoming property inspections.
The Riverside Fire Department (RPD) said at Tuesday’s council meeting that the Defensible Space Inspection Program was specifically for homes in high-risk fire hazard zones.
“The primary goal of our inspection program is to educate our property owners of their responsibility to maintain their properties in a fire-safe condition,” RPD Deputy Chief Brian Guzzetta said at the February 24 meeting. “Inspectors will be focusing on several key elements, including the creation and maintenance of defensible space.”
The California Forestry and Fire Department last year released updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, which added thousands of acres in Riverside into the moderate, high and very high hazard zones. State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant previously told The Riverside Record that the map’s main purpose was to define areas that were likely to be impacted by wildfires so local officials could better prepare mitigation plans.
The city council adopted the new maps last April and added new regulations to its city code that required homeowners within the high and very high hazard zones to comply with fire-resistant building standards and create defensible space around their properties following a set of safety guidelines.
By state law, cities are required to adopt the new maps, and while cities can adopt a higher fire hazard rating, they cannot decrease it.. However, Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said Tuesday the city was working with state legislators to try to modify its maps.
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“My understanding is they’re set in stone at the moment, and there’s no arguing with them,” Dawson said. “I think some of them may not be as correct as they could be.”
To comply with defensible space guidelines, property owners are required to maintain a 100-foot perimeter around their homes free of dried weeds, flammable garbage and other combustible materials. Owners are also expected to use fire-resistant building materials and trim trees that touch the house and create clear walkways.
The requirements also extend to adjacent properties as well, holding neighbors responsible for clearing parts of their property to ensure homes in the hazard zones are compliant with defensible space minimums. Homeowners looking to sell their property are also required by state law to complete an inspection.
Jayda Feld, RPD’s fire community preparedness instructor, told the council that more than 17,000 homes were within one of the three hazard zones, and that the city would offer a free assessment program residents can apply for via the 311 Riverside app and website.
She added that homeowners who complied with the defensible space requirements were more likely to survive a wildfire and could be eligible for a fire insurance discount.
“With insurance rates rising and coverage becoming harder to obtain, this is an important benefit,” she told the council. “California law requires insurance companies to offer discounts when homeowners complete approved wildfire safety measures.”
Guzzetta said that homeowners could expect to receive the annual notification via mail starting May 1 with inspections set to begin a month later.
Properties that violate the city’s ordinance will receive a notice giving them 10 days to comply or risk facing a fine.
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