Seven new states in the Western U.S. are now part of a new wildfire preparedness designation program designed to help homeowners and builders in high-risk areas better protect properties and neighborhoods.
The states were among 10 added to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s Wildfire Prepared designation, which is now up to 14 states. The program offers two levels for individual properties: Wildfire Prepared Home, which outlines actions to reduce risk from wind-driven embers, and Wildfire Prepared Home Plus, an enhanced level of protection against radiant heat and direct flame contact.
Homeowners obtain the IBHS program designation by completing mitigation steps verified by a third party. The program also includes Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood, which recognizes builders and communities working together to reduce home-to-home wildfire spread.
The program is now available in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. It was previously available in California, Nevada, New Mexico and Oregon.
Related: California Drought, Wildfire Risks Grow as Snow Falls Short
The program was established in 2022, and is built on the IBHS research on how homes ignite during wildfire events and what mitigation measures most effectively prevent structure-to-structure spread.
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