Defensible Space Inspection

In the state of California, creating and maintaining defensible space on privately owned property, within 100 ft. of a structure is required by law.

In some areas, there are also local ordinances that require defensible space.

For example, if you have a home within the boundaries of the Truckee Fire Protection District, Defensible Space Ordinance 02-2012 applies to your property!

Even HOA's can create defensible space requirements through their CC&Rs.

MO's can help you understand these complicated laws!

California's Defensible Space Law: Public Resources Code 4291 and CA Code of Regulations Title 14

Because of increasing concern about devastating wildfires, state and local fire departments along with the communities they serve have dedicated more funding than ever towards wildfire prevention.

Part of this funding has gone towards increasing public knowledge about the importance of defensible space. This has primarily taken place through individual property inspection.

If you have received a defensible space inspection,

MO's Defensible Space can perform most or all of the work required to bring your property into compliance with the law.

MO's does not currently offer large or hazard tree removal/maintenance.

State, Local, and community laws

We Make Compliance Easy

• We understand the law, AND perform the work: You will have an NFPA Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist who understands the complex defensible space laws performing the work on your property.

• Complimentary pre AND post work assessments: Our customized pre-work assessment will highlight every defensible space issue around your property. Our post-work assessment details the work that we completed, with photos, that can be submitted to the authoritative party as verification of work completed. This helps you understand our processes, and expedites the reinspection processes.

• Your priorities are considered first: Defensible space is required by law, but that doesn't mean compromising your standards. Defensible space is about choices; MO's can help you understand your options, then you make the choice! For example, if you have a tree on your property that has been marked as a defensible space issue, that does not necessarily mean that tree needs to be removed. We can help you navigate your options, potentially saving the trees that you love.

Defensible Space for Insurance

Fire insurance for homeowners has become increasingly complicated and expensive.

The laws are changing. Though it is confusing, these new laws could benefit you! Through California's Department of Insurance "Safer From Wildfires" framework, there is a new insurance pricing and transparency regulation.

This regulation is geared to help homeowners by:

• Requiring insurance premium discounts for home and business owners that perform work to make their property safer from wildfires

• Requiring companies to provide consumers with their property’s “wildfire risk score” and create a right to appeal that score.

How MO's can help

• Individual property wildfire risk mitigation: Sounds confusing, but it's pretty simple. Essentially, in the new regulation, there is a list of expert-recommended actions that home and business owners can take to mitigate wildfire risk on their property. MO's can perform many of the services on that list and help you become eligible for discounts from your insurance provider. MO's does not currently offer home hardening services, however, we are qualified to provide consultation in that field.

• We are NFPA Certified: If you've checked out California's Department of Insurance "Safer from Wildfires" page, you might have noticed encouragement for communities to become Firewise. This is a recognition program that is administered by the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association). Much of the "Safer from Wildfires" framework has been designed from NFPA standards and principles. As NFPA Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialists, we differentiate ourselves from other contractors in the region, as we are specifically trained on understanding hazard and risk mitigation, and can help YOU along the process of becoming a Firewise USA community.

• Appeal Wildfire Risk Score: The new regulation requires greater transparency from your insurance company. Insurance companies are now required to provide homeowners with their property's wildfire risk score. These scores can be reduced through mitigation. MO's can perform most or all necessary mitigation work as well as document via photo the mitigation that was performed. The documentation can be submitted to reduce your wildfire risk score and help you become eligible for discounts from your insurance company.

Contact MO's Defensible Space today about defensible space consultation or defensible space work inquiries!

Defensible Space for Real Estate

Beginning in 2021, California Assembly Bill (AB) 38 requires that someone selling property in a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone is to provide the buyer with documentation stating that the property is in complies with defensible space requirements.

Under AB-38, if the seller cannot provide documentation demonstrating compliance by the close of escrow, the seller and buyer can enter into a written agreement showing that the buyer agrees to obtain documentation of compliance within one year of the close of escrow.

Incorporated Towns:

• Truckee

• South Lake

If you're selling in the Lake Tahoe Basin

Counties

• Nevada

• Placer

• El Dorado

AB-38 likely applies to you

How MO's can help

Find Your Fire Hazard Severity Zone

• Cooperation: We're happy to work collaboratively with the homeowner, realtor/real estate agent, and inspecting agency to achieve compliance

• We know the law: MO's knows the law. We can efficiently and effectively apply the concepts listed in the real estate defensible space inspection that the seller will receive and create defensible space on the property.

• Curb-Appeal Work: Sometimes it is not within the seller's budget or timeline to achieve full compliance by the close of escrow. With the understanding that full compliance will not be achieved, MO's can perform some defensible space work that is geared toward increasing the aesthetics of the property. This work allows sellers to stay within their budget and timeline while making the property look more appealing to potential buyers. It also lessens the defensible space burden that the prospective buyer will end up having to bear.

Contact MO's Defensible Space today about creating defensible space on your listing!

Defensible Space on Vacant Lots

If you own a vacant lot, you are required to maintain defensible space on it when it is within 100 ft. of a structure.

If you require defensible space on your vacant lot, MO's Defensible Space can perform most or all of the work required to bring your property into compliance with the law

Not all defensible space companies are the same

It is important to ensure, when hiring a defensible space company to perform work on your property, that the company understands defensible space. Yes, even if you have received an inspection from local or state fire departments or an insurance company. That inspection typically does not provide enough specific information about your property for a contractor to follow it item for item and create effective defensible space.

Rather, most inspections are designed to communicate concepts that need to be applied throughout an entire property. The person performing the defensible space work, whether the homeowner or a hired company, needs a holistic understanding of these defensible space concepts, so that they can create effective defensible space.

Experts from local and state fire departments are available to provide guidance on specific properties. However, this advice is most effective when the homeowner is performing work on their own property and looking to gain educational guidance.

If the homeowner has hired a company to perform the work to create defensible space, that company should understand what defensible space is. This includes the laws pertaining to defensible space, how fire spreads on a property, and how homes are most likely to be destroyed by wildfire. If the company does not understand these concepts, then the work they are doing is likely not creating effective or compliant defensible space.

Click here to check out an itemized list of MO's services!

MO's does not currently offer large or hazard tree removal/maintenance.