Placer County earns state fire risk reduction designation

Placer County has been named a Fire Risk Reduction Community by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, a state designation that recognizes a community meets California's high standards for wildfire prevention and planning. The designation carries a direct benefit for residents. California now requires insurers to account for a Fire Risk Reduction Community designation when they set rates, meaning the reduced wildfire risk in the covered area must be reflected in premiums. Homeowners and business owners are encouraged to call their insurance provider, mention the designation, and ask how it applies to their policy. Discount amounts vary by insurer and property, so homeowners should contact their provider to confirm whether the designation applies to their policy. The designation also strengthens the county's position when applying for CAL FIRE wildfire prevention grants. That funding supports work that lowers risk – thinning overgrown brush and small trees, building and maintaining fuel breaks along ridge lines and evacuation routes, clearing roadsides, chipping programs and wildfire planning. Placement on the state's list reflects a rigorous review of how the community plans for and reduces wildfire risk, and the county's sustained investment in forest health and wildfire resilience – from landscape-scale restoration to defensible space work. "This designation is the result of years of coordinated work to make our landscapes and neighborhoods more resilient to wildfire," said Placer County Regional Forest Health Coordinator Amanda Brenner. "It reflects everything from landscape-scale forest restoration to the county's defensible space and home-hardening programs. It also opens the door to more grant funding, which means more prevention work where people live, work and recreate." "I want to congratulate our whole community on this recognition," said Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. "It reflects years of sustained investment and partnership in wildfire resilience across Placer County. I also want to thank our residents – the defensible space and home hardening they keep up around their own homes protects their families and neighbors, and it remains one of the most important things any of us can do." The designation reflects the county's ongoing wildfire resilience work, guided by the Placer County Regional Forest Health 10-Year Countywide Action Plan – a strategy to reduce severe wildfire risk and improve forest resilience across nearly 650,000 acres of forest land in the county.