Los Angeles Wildfire Prep Checklist for Santa Ana Season

The 30-second version

Santa Ana wildfire season peaks late September through January — 60-90 mph winds from the interior desert channel down through mountain passes into LA canyons.
Most homes lost in Santa Ana fires are lost to embers, not radiant heat. Ember ignition happens hours after the flame front passes.
Prep the property, not just the go-bag — most of the loss reduction comes from Zone 0 hardening, gutter clearing, and ember-entry closure.
Do this checklist every September, before the first Santa Ana event, not during a red flag warning.

When to run this checklist

The heart of Los Angeles Santa Ana wildfire season runs late September through late January, peaking in October and November. The right time to run this checklist is early September, before the first Santa Ana event of the season. Red flag warnings often give less than 24 hours notice — that's too late for physical property work. Set a calendar reminder for the first weekend of September and treat this as annual seasonal maintenance.

Zone 0 (0-5 feet from the structure) — the highest-impact zone

Under California AB 3074, Zone 0 hardening is required by state law across all VHFHSZ properties. This is also the highest-impact area for loss reduction based on CalFire post-fire investigations. Everything inside 5 feet of your exterior walls should be non-combustible.

Remove all combustible mulch (bark, wood chips, straw) from within 5 feet of walls, deck edges, and fence-to-structure junctions. Replace with decomposed granite, gravel, or bare mineral soil.
Remove combustible vegetation from within 5 feet of walls — no shrubs, no trees, no groundcover other than well-irrigated, low-growth ornamentals.
Remove all stored combustibles from Zone 0 — firewood, propane tanks, dry brush, patio cushions, plastic planters, doormats.
Check that wooden fences don't connect to the structure. If they do, replace the final 5 feet with metal or non-combustible material.
Verify gate combinations and side-yard access — first responders and CalFire strike teams may need entry.

Roof and gutter — where embers land

Clear all gutters of leaf litter, pine needles, and debris. Full gutter cleaning, both roof plane and eave lines. Do this even if your gutters have leaf guards.
Sweep roof valleys, dead-corners, and skylight curbs of any accumulated debris.
Check for missing or damaged roof shingles, tiles, or metal panels — replace before wind season.
Verify that roof-to-wall flashing is intact and ember-tight.
If your roof is not Class A fire-rated, consider a Chapter 7A upgrade before next season — see our wildfire sprinklers guide and Chapter 7A contractor overview.

Vents and openings — how embers get inside

Standard soffit and gable vents are one of the most common ember entry points into attics. Half of the homes lost in California wildfires ignite from inside the attic after embers enter through unprotected vents.

Verify all attic and crawlspace vents are covered with 1/8-inch corrosion-resistant metal mesh. Standard 1/4-inch screening is too coarse — it lets embers through.
If your property is in a VHFHSZ, upgrade to WUI-rated intumescent ember-resistant vents (Vulcan, Brandguard, O'Hagin). These meet Chapter 7A code and are engineered to close under heat.
Check exterior wall openings — dryer vents, bathroom exhaust vents, kitchen range hood terminations — and verify each has intact mesh screening.
Cover chimney and fireplace flue with 1/8-inch corrosion-resistant spark arrestor if not already installed.

Windows, doors, and exterior openings

Verify all windows are intact — cracked or single-pane glass is a weak point. Chapter 7A requires dual-pane tempered glass on VHFHSZ properties within 10 feet of grade.
Check exterior door weather-stripping — even small gaps let embers into the structure envelope.
If your property has skylights, verify curb flashing is intact and any glazing is Class B or better fire-rated.
Garage door: check the bottom seal. Embers routinely enter garages through failed bottom seals and ignite stored combustibles.

Yard and defensible space (Zones 1 and 2)

Zone 1 (5-30 feet from structure) and Zone 2 (30-100 feet) requirements vary by local AHJ but the fundamentals are consistent:

Remove all dead vegetation from Zones 1 and 2 — dry grass, dead limbs, fallen leaves, and cured brush.
Prune tree limbs to at least 10 feet above ground and 10 feet away from your chimney or roof.
Space trees so that mature canopies are at least 10 feet apart in Zone 1 and 6 feet apart in Zone 2.
Remove ladder fuels — vegetation that creates a vertical path from ground to canopy allows fire to climb into tree crowns.
Verify no woodpiles are within 30 feet of the structure.

Water and utilities

Check that garden hoses are attached, in working condition, and long enough to reach all exterior elevations.
If your property has a swimming pool, verify pool level is full — pool water is a legitimate secondary water source and CalFire crews may draft from it.
Locate your gas shutoff and verify the wrench is accessible.
If you have a wildfire sprinkler system installed, schedule pre-season maintenance now — nozzle inspection, valve function test, backflow preventer certification, pump service if applicable.
If you have a generator, run it for 20 minutes and verify fuel storage is adequate. Store generator fuel outside the Zone 0 area.

Documentation and evacuation prep

Photograph every room and the exterior from all four elevations — insurance carriers require photo documentation for any claim.
Video walkthrough of the interior, opening every closet and drawer, is worth an hour of your time. Store on cloud, not just phone.
Verify homeowner's insurance policy is current and coverage limits reflect current replacement cost. Check whether wildfire, smoke, and additional-living-expense (ALE) coverage are included and adequate.
Assemble a go-bag: prescription medications, key documents (insurance, deed, passport, birth certificates), external hard drive with backups, phone chargers, cash, N95 masks.
Identify two evacuation routes from your neighborhood — during major events, one primary route can be blocked or gridlocked.

During a Red Flag Warning or evacuation order

The physical property prep should already be done. During an active event:

If ordered to evacuate — evacuate immediately. Waiting for the flame front is how people die. Most fatalities in California wildfires happen to residents who tried to defend their homes.
Close all windows, doors, and vents before leaving. Leave interior doors open so firefighters can move through the structure if needed.
Move patio furniture and stored combustibles inside if there's time. Move flammable landscape items away from the exterior.
If you have a wildfire sprinkler defense system, verify it is armed and set to auto-activate.
Leave garden hoses connected to exterior spigots so first responders can use them if they hold your street.
Leave a note or a marker indicating whether the home is evacuated — CalFire strike teams document house-to-house.

What to do the day after the fire passes

Do not return to the neighborhood until officially released. Downed power lines, hot spots, and ongoing hazards are common.
Photograph everything before touching anything — insurance requires original-condition documentation.
Contact your insurance carrier within 24-48 hours to open the claim.
If your home is intact but neighboring homes burned, get a roof inspection — ember damage often shows as pinhole burns or scorching that isn't obvious from ground level.
See our wildfire insurance claim guide and rebuild guide for what comes next.

Frequently asked questions

When is Santa Ana wildfire season in Los Angeles?

The heart of Santa Ana wildfire season runs late September through late January, peaking in October and November. Santa Ana events can occur outside this window — the January 2025 Palisades Fire was a January event — but the primary risk concentration is October-November. Property preparation should be complete by early September, before the first Santa Ana event of the season.

What is Zone 0 and why does it matter?

Zone 0 is the area within 5 feet of your structure. Under California AB 3074, Zone 0 hardening is required by state law across all VHFHSZ properties. Everything in Zone 0 should be non-combustible — no wooden mulch, no shrubs, no stored combustibles, no propane tanks, no combustible fencing. Zone 0 is the highest-impact loss-reduction zone because it removes the fuel that allows landing embers to actually ignite the structure.

How do embers actually burn houses down?

Post-fire investigations from CalFire and IBHS consistently show ember ignition — not radiant heat, not direct flame — is the primary way California homes are lost in wildfires. Embers can travel 5-15 miles ahead of a flame front on strong Santa Ana winds. They land on roofs and in gutters, they enter attics through unprotected vents, they ignite fine fuel in Zone 0, and they smolder for hours before igniting the structure. Ember-defense — closing entry points and removing fine fuel — is where most loss reduction comes from.

Should I stay and defend my home during a fire?

No. If ordered to evacuate — evacuate immediately. Most California wildfire fatalities happen to residents who tried to defend their homes and were caught by the flame front or by rapidly changing conditions. A properly hardened home with Chapter 7A compliance and active sprinkler defense is designed to survive being evacuated. Your job is to make the home defensible in advance and then get out safely.