California Wildfire Mitigation Program

The California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP) aims to build community resilience to wildfires in primarily underserved populations by providing assistance for retrofits and other practices that can help reduce wildfire risk. The CWMP, now in its pilot phase, offers financial and management assistance and education to communities more vulnerable to wildfire due to a combination of physical exposure and socioeconomic factors that can exacerbate risk. The CWMP mitigates the potential harms these communities face through cost-effective home-hardening retrofits and implementation of defensible space and vegetation management practices. 

 In 2018, California experienced its most destructive year of wildfires in history, based on the loss of infrastructure and lives. Between 2017 and 2018, California lost over 20,000 structures and over 100 lives, and incurred financial losses over 12 billion dollars, solely from wildfires. In response, the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP) was authorized by Assembly Bill 38 and signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2019. Assembly Bill 38 required the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to enter into a joint powers agreement with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to create and administer the CWMP. 

The CWMP prioritizes underserved and vulnerable populations for assistance. To jumpstart the CWMP, Cal OES and CAL FIRE initiated a pilot phase to roll out the assistance in several counties deemed most vulnerable. In assessing the most vulnerable counties to wildfire destruction, five social vulnerability factors were taken into account:

  1. Residents over the age of 65 and/or under the age of 5
  2. Residents in poverty
  3. Residents with a disability
  4. Residents without English fluency
  5. Residents without a car

Based on these factors in combination with four factors indicating physical wildfire risk, 58 counties were ranked by vulnerability to wildfires, thus taking into account socioeconomic disadvantages to create an equitable mitigation program.

As of June 2025, six counties have been chosen so far to pilot the Program. Four counties are currently being served — Lake County, San Diego County, Shasta County, and Siskiyou County — and two counties, El Dorado and Tuolumne, are expecting upcoming projects. The pilot program is enabling CWMP to assess its strengths and weaknesses before expanding throughout the state. 

The CWMP works on a county-by-county basis, tailoring the program with local officials to the community’s needs. The Program offers a framework and a map of suggested areas in need of home hardening, but leaves the ultimate location decisions to local officials. To be eligible for the Program, homeowners must be the legal property owner of their home, be willing to have their home assessed, and be willing for contractors to conduct the home hardening process. Those who are eligible can apply via the website application page. The landing page of the website also provides information on how citizens can get involved as contractors or attend local board meetings. The website also provides examples of completed projects and visuals of what a “hardened” home looks like. 

Once a home is retrofitted, homeowners can receive a certificate that they have a home prepared for wildfires, which better enables them to maintain insurance. Although CWMP does not work directly with the insurance companies, once homeowners complete mitigation and retrofitting, they may reap insurance benefits of wildfire preparedness, such as greater access to coverage and reduced premiums.

Related Organizations:

  • California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES)
  • California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire)

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