Veteran-built.
Hazards
Fire, flood and earthquake zones
What a Natural Hazard Disclosure report is, how to check if a home is in a fire, flood or earthquake zone, and the defensible space rules that affect sales and insurance.
At every sale
Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD) report
What it is
- A report sellers must give buyers showing if the property is in a state-mapped hazard zone
- Covers flood zones, dam inundation, very high fire hazard zones, state wildland fire areas, earthquake fault zones and seismic hazard zones
- Many reports also cover airport noise, Mello-Roos taxes and environmental hazards
How to get one
- Your agent or escrow usually orders it from an NHD company
- Owners can order one online directly from an NHD provider
- Typically about $100 to $150, ready in a day or two, delivered as a PDF
- The seller usually pays; it is negotiable
Wildfire report
- Shows the fire hazard severity zone and whether the property is in a State Responsibility Area
- Very high fire hazard zone sellers must also disclose defensible space and home hardening (AB 38 and AB 3074)
High fire zones
Fire department inspection at sale (AB 38)
Since July 1, 2021 (Civil Code 1102.19), when a home in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone is sold, the seller must give the buyer:
- A defensible space inspection report from the local agency, done within the last 6 months, or
- If no inspection is available, a written agreement that the buyer will bring the property into compliance within 1 year.
Who does it
- Inside a city (Local Responsibility Area): the city fire department or fire marshal. In the City of San Diego, the Fire-Rescue Department runs defensible space inspections and a Home Risk Assessment ($163 since July 1, 2025). Call 619-533-4388.
- State Responsibility Area with no local ordinance: CAL FIRE (form LE-100a).
Who pays and how to set it up
- The seller usually orders and pays; the purchase contract can say otherwise.
- Schedule as soon as you decide to sell: inspections can take weeks.
- Do the cutback first (see below) so you pass the first time.
- Give the report to escrow with your disclosures.
The rules
Defensible space
Zone 0: 0 to 5 ft
- Ember-resistant zone: no wood mulch, dead plants, wood fences or stored combustibles next to the house
- Required for new homes in very high fire zones; existing homes by about February 2027 under AB 3074 (rules still being finalized)
Zone 1: 5 to 30 ft
- Remove dead plants, grass and weeds
- Space shrubs and trees; limb trees up 6 ft
- Keep branches 10 ft from chimneys
Zone 2: 30 to 100 ft
- Grass under 4 in
- Thin brush; remove dead material
- Horizontal and vertical spacing between plants
How it is assessed
- Inspector walks the property zone by zone
- Checks vegetation, roof and gutters, vents, decks and fences
- You get a pass or a correction list with a deadline
- City of San Diego complaints: 619-533-4444
Timing in San Diego
- Native habitat clearing: August 16 to January 31
- Avoid bird nesting season, February 15 to August 15
Your premium
How hazards affect insurance
Insurers price fire risk using their own wildfire scores, not just state maps. Under California's Safer from Wildfires regulation (2022), insurers must recognize mitigation such as a Class A roof, ember-resistant vents, 6 in of non-combustible material at the base of walls, enclosed eaves, and cleared Zone 0 and defensible space. Ask your insurer for the discounts in writing.