FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Probably not. The Mendocino County Fire Safe Council (MCFSC) is a small nonprofit. We are not a government agency and have no regulatory authority, so we cannot force anyone to take action. Our role is to provide tools, education, and resources for people who want to improve their wildfire safety.

    It’s also important to know that private property rights are strongly protected by law. Even local governments, which may have some enforcement authority, can usually only act when a property poses a clear and significant risk to the broader community, and those processes can be slow and costly.  If it seems likely that they will not be able to recover costs, authorities may choose not to pursue enforcement.

    That said, here are some strategies you can try.  Working together as neighbors is the best place to start and often the most successful strategy:

    • Talk with your neighbor. Share your concerns and explain how their property could put the whole community at risk.

    • Provide information. We can give you brochures and other materials about wildfire safety that you can pass along.

    • Connect them with resources. If your neighbor wants to make improvements but lacks the means, point them to our Defensible Space Assistance Program. For larger properties, the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District may offer cost-share programs for forest improvements.

    • Organize a work party. If your neighbor is open to it, gather other community members to help. This could also be a good opportunity to start a Neighborhood Fire Safe Council.

    • Contact fire authorities. If the property is a significant hazard, reach out to your local fire department or CAL FIRE (Mendocino Unit: 707-367-7416). Ask if they can take action or support your request to another authority.

    • Check with Code Enforcement. If you live outside city limits, you can contact Mendocino County Code Enforcement to see if the County can step in:Code Enforcement Information. If you inside city limits you can try contacting code enforcement for the city.

  • Homeowners insurance in California is in a state of uncertainty and rapid change. Industry standards are evolving with new research on best practices for home-hardening and defensible space. According to the Safer from Wildfire guidelines issued by the CA Dept of Insurance, insurers are now required to offer discounts for homeowner mitigations. Living in a recognized Firewise Community is one action that can provide a discount for homeowners.

    If you reside in a Firewise Community in good standing, email your insurance agent a copy of your communities certificate and boundary map to inquire about discounts. Certificates and boundary maps can be found on our Firewise USA webpage. 

  • DSAFIE is intended to provide help clearing defensible space for people who due to age or temporary or permanent physical limitations are unable to do the work for themselves and who cannot afford to hire a contractor to do the work for them.  Currently the program relies on applicants to self-certify that they meet those qualifications instead of applying any specific income limit.

  • Probably not. The Mendocino County Fire Safe Council (MCFSC) focuses on education, home hardening, and wildfire fuel reduction work around homes and communities, as well as along roads that serve as fire breaks and critical emergency access routes. We typically do not work on large properties or develop forest management plans.

    Organizations that can help with this type of work include the MMendocino County Resource Conservation District and the Natural Resource Conservation Service.  

    There are also two cost-share programs available to landowners. One is the EQIP program through the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the other is the CFIP program through CAL FIRE. These programs provide incentives to implement vegetation management but are not intended to cover the full cost of treatment.

    Additionally, these programs do not fund work within the 100-foot defensible space zone around your home, as maintaining this area is the landowner’s responsibility under state law. Please also note that the CFIP program requires a property of at least 20 acres. The EQIP program does not have a minimum acreage requirement, but the landowner’s adjusted gross income must not exceed $1 million.

  • Check out this link to Fire Safe Marin’s page on Fire-Resistant Tarps

  • We do not provide AB‑38 real‑estate disclosure inspections or any documentation required for property sales. Our role is educational — we offer non‑regulatory assessments to help you understand your wildfire risk and identify steps you can take to improve safety. These assessments are for guidance only and are not a substitute for an official AB‑38 inspection.