Fire Safe Home Visits
Home visits are conducted by trained Fire Safe Council staff and volunteer Plumas County residents. These consultations are considered “Peer-to-Peer” to uphold a spirit of open, fire-safe communication between Plumas residents. We don't perform enforcement or inspections on behalf of any government agency, but we use the assessment as an opportunity to educate and reduce wildfire risk at the home level.
To sign up for a home visit, please complete our questionnaire. To improve efficiency and reduce travel time, home visits are grouped by supervisorial district and scheduled on a rotating basis, with about one district done per week. Once your district’s assessment week is approaching, we will follow up to allow you to sign up for open appointment times. We are typically scheduling approximately one month in advance.
During the home visit, our assessor will walk around the exterior of your home with you, if you are available. We do not need to enter your home. We will evaluate features such as the roof, eaves, gutters, siding, windows, doors, landscaping, trees, and the overall siting and surrounding conditions of your property. With your permission, we will also take photos and enter assessment data into a secure third-party reporting platform.
After the visit, residents will receive private access to an interactive online report tailored specifically to their property. The report is designed to help residents identify potential wildfire hazards and understand recommended actions and available resources.
Reports include a property map with identified areas for improvement, supporting photos, and recommended mitigation measures. Residents can track progress by checking off completed projects as they work to reduce wildfire risk around their home.
Q: What's the Home Visit Program?
A: Our Fire Safe Council staff will come to your residential property to help you learn and prioritize your defensible space and home hardening activities. You'll also learn how to get credit for all your hard work through our Firewise Program and help show the world that we take wildfire preparedness seriously.
Q: Why would I need a Home Visit?
A: Four big reasons:
- Prepare for the next wildfire and help protect your home and community
- Invest in projects to qualify for a certification that could earn you a home insurance premium discount
- Plan ahead for selling your home - mandatory disclosure requirements and certificates are now required for nearly all homes in Plumas County
- Strategize for a future home renovation or construction project
Q: When can you come out?
A: Home Fire Safe Visits are grouped into supervisorial districts for efficiency. Depending on the size and complexity of your property, the visit can take up to 60 minutes.
Q: Can you come on the weekend?
A: Occasional weekends are available.
Q: Can you visit my commercial property?
A: No, our program covers only residential properties
Q: I already had a home visit, do I need another one?
A: Maybe not, but please tell your friends, neighbors, and family members about our program. I'm sure you know someone who could benefit from our program. If you've been working on projects and want to share and think through what's next, we are happy to come out and see your progress.
Q: Does the Home Visit cost money?
A: Home Visits are no cost to you! We're funded through grants from the California Fire Safe Council and CalFire, but to help our grant dollars stretch further, you can donate $60 to cover part of the cost for your visit and help us reach more homes in Plumas County.
Q: Okay I'm convinced, how do I sign up?
A: Please complete our intake form so that we can get you on our schedule.
Contact program manager Dale Ready by email for phone if you need any assistance with scheduling, visit logistics, or reports. dale@plumasfiresafe.org or 530-927-5349.
