Harden your home against wildfire or hurricane season

  1. Locate your property on the official fire or wind hazard maps
    30 min

    This step produces a screenshot or printout of your property on the recognised hazard map — the wildfire risk class (Very Low through Very High) or the wind speed contour and flood zone. That zone label determines which baseline risk level and which set of hardening requirements your insurer will reference.

    For wildfire risk:

    • Open Wildfire Risk to Communities, enter your address, and click “View Map.” Note the “Risk to Potential Structures” class.
    • If your state publishes a higher-resolution map — California’s Fire Hazard Severity Zones, Oregon’s Wildfire Risk Explorer, Colorado’s Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal — use that instead; insurers in those states often mandate it.
    • Take a screenshot that shows the address marker, the zone label, and the legend. Save as [County]_WildfireZone.png.

    For hurricane wind risk:

    • Search your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and download the current FIRM panel. Note the flood zone (AE, VE, X).
    • Open the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool, enter your address, and record the wind speed (e.g. 140 mph) and exposure category (B, C, or D).
    • Take a screenshot showing both the wind contour and the flood zone. Save as [County]_WindZone.png.