Wildfire Risk Evaluation

Parcel-Scale
Wildland Fire Assessment

A systematic, on-site evaluation of your property's wildfire risk — inspected and documented by an ArborSolutions ISA Certified Arborist with Tree Risk Assessment (TRAQ) certification, with no stake in the work that follows. Pre-inspection checklist, field review, and written report formatted for insurance, planning, and property management use.

Schedule an Assessment — (805) 325-5441
100 ft California minimum
defensible space requirement
3 Distinct evaluation
zones per parcel
~75% Wildfire risk reduction with
combined structural + vegetation mitigation*
ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) arborist
conducts all assessments
*Source: IBHS / California tree service insurance analysis; represents combined structural and vegetation modification impact estimates. Individual results vary significantly by site conditions.
The Assessment

More Than a Checklist — A Professional Site Read

A CAL FIRE compliance inspection determines whether a property meets minimum defensible space requirements — a pass/fail threshold, not a professional assessment. A parcel-scale wildland fire assessment from ArborSolutions goes further: We document the specific vegetation conditions, site characteristics, and defensible space compliance that give an underwriter, a planning department, or a property manager the professional clarity to make an informed decision — grounded in ISA Certified Arborist and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) credentials.

That distinction matters because wildfire insurers, underwriters, and property managers are no longer satisfied with a pass/fail compliance answer. They want to understand the property-level risk factors that a standard inspection doesn't document — species-specific fuel loads, canopy architecture and continuity, slope and aspect exposure, ladder fuel pathways, and most importantly, the arboricultural health of the trees themselves.

ArborSolutions conducts all assessments independently. No tree work is performed, no equipment is operated, and no contractor relationship influences the findings. The report reflects what is there — not what justifies a work order.

Evaluation Scope

Three Zones. One Integrated Assessment.

California's defensible space standards establish three concentric zones around any structure. ArborSolutions evaluates each zone systematically and documents findings within a unified written report.

Zone 0
Ember-Resistant Zone
0 – 5 feet
The immediate structure interface. Evaluation of combustible materials in direct contact with or adjacent to the building, including mulch, wood storage, vegetation touching the structure, and ground cover. Ember intrusion risk is highest here.
Zone 1
Lean, Clean & Green
5 – 30 feet
Evaluation of tree spacing, canopy continuity, ladder fuel pathways, dead and dying vegetation, and horizontal/vertical fuel separation. This zone governs whether fire can move from ground to canopy to structure.
Zone 2
Reduced Fuel Zone
30 – 100 feet
Extended interface evaluation covering slope-adjusted fuel reduction, directional fire approach corridors, tree crown separation, and species-specific fuel load characterization. Assessment extends beyond 100 ft at the arborist's professional discretion where terrain or vegetation conditions warrant.
Field Documentation

What Gets Evaluated and Recorded

Vegetation & Fuel Conditions
  • Tree species identification and fuel load characterization
  • Live and dead fuel density in each zone
  • Canopy continuity and horizontal fuel continuity
  • Ladder fuel pathways (shrub-to-branch-to-canopy)
  • Crown separation and vertical fuel spacing
  • Tree health — decay, structural defects, drought stress
  • Ground cover type and combustibility
  • Invasive or high-flammability species presence
Site & Interface Conditions
  • Slope percentage and aspect (fire approach direction)
  • Topographic features influencing fire run behavior
  • Access and egress route condition
  • Proximity to wildland-urban interface edge
  • Adjacent parcel fuel load (observable)
  • Structural combustibility observations (roof, vents, decks)
  • Compliance with CAL FIRE PRC 4291 standards
  • Photographic documentation — all zones, all significant findings
The Deliverable

A Written Report Built to Travel

The assessment produces a written report formatted for professional review. It is not a form. It is not a scorecard. It is a signed, credentialed arboricultural assessment that documents observed conditions, identifies risk factors, and provides actionable findings in plain language.

The report is designed to be understood by the people who need it most: property owners making mitigation decisions, insurance agents preparing submissions, underwriters reviewing risk files, real estate professionals disclosing material conditions, and planning departments reviewing project applications.

Included
Pre-Inspection Checklist
Provided prior to the site visit to document known conditions, recent work history, permit compliance status, and any prior inspection records. Helps the arborist focus field time efficiently and ensures nothing is missed.
Included
Field Assessment Report
Systematic written findings covering all three defensible space zones, vegetation conditions, site factors, and compliance observations. Signed by an ISA Certified Arborist with Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) credentials. Photographic documentation included.
Included
Priority Findings Summary
A plain-language summary of the most significant findings ranked by risk contribution — not by cost of remediation. Intended to help property owners and their agents understand what matters most, in the right order.
Use Cases

When a Parcel Assessment Is the Right Tool

Insurance Qualification
Preparing a FAIR Plan transition file, broker submission, or DIC underwriting package. Provides the vegetation and defensible space documentation underwriters are now specifically requesting.
Pre-Sale Disclosure
Buyers and sellers in high fire hazard severity zones who need documented, independent assessment of wildfire risk conditions as part of due diligence or material disclosure.
Post-Mitigation Documentation
Documenting defensible space work already completed — tree removal, limb clearance, brush reduction — in a professionally credentialed format for submission to an insurer or permitting authority.
Planning & Permit Support
County planning applications involving tree removal, grading, or site development in High Fire Hazard Severity Zones requiring independent arboricultural assessment.
HOA Common Area Review
Association boards managing common area vegetation and defensible space across multiple parcels, preparing documentation for commercial insurance review.
Personal Risk Management
Property owners who simply want an honest, independent assessment of what their land looks like from a wildfire standpoint — with no contractor relationship attached to the answer.
Questions

What You Should Know Before Scheduling

How is this different from a CAL FIRE defensible space inspection?
A CAL FIRE inspection checks compliance with minimum legal requirements — a necessary but limited threshold. An ArborSolutions assessment documents what a compliance inspection does not: the specific vegetation conditions, species composition, canopy architecture, and site characteristics that an ISA Certified Arborist with Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) credentials is trained to observe and record. These are arboricultural findings — not fire behavior predictions. The two are not substitutes for each other. Many properties pass a compliance inspection and still carry significant undocumented vegetation and site conditions that an insurer's underwriter has no independent professional basis to evaluate.
Will this report tell me what work to do?
The assessment identifies conditions and their relative risk contribution. It does not generate a work scope for a contractor to execute. ArborSolutions performs no tree work and carries no financial interest in remediation. If you need a contractor after receiving the report, we can explain what the findings mean — but the contractor relationship is yours to manage independently.
What is the pre-inspection checklist?
Before the site visit, ArborSolutions provides a structured intake form asking about property size and configuration, known defensible space work history, prior inspections, permit records, tree removal history, and any specific areas of concern. Completing this thoroughly allows the field assessment to be more focused and reduces the likelihood of follow-up questions.
How long does a site assessment take?
Field time varies by parcel size and complexity, typically 1.5 to 3 hours for a residential parcel. Larger parcels, multi-structure properties, or parcels with complex terrain require additional time. Report preparation follows the site visit and is typically delivered within 5 to 7 business days.
What counties are served?
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura Counties. Site visits verified or conducted by Daniel Arrellanes, ISA Certified Arborist #WE-9985A.

Schedule Your Parcel Assessment

One phone call is enough to determine scope, timing, and whether this is the right tool for your situation.

(805) 325-5441 contact@arborsolutions.pro