Berkeley Fire Department Programs
Program updates will be posted on our Announcements Page
Defensible Space Inspections
Berkeley Fire Department visits residential properties in the high severity fire zones to evaluate whether your home meets defensible space, vegetation management, and home hardening standards. Following the evaluation, you will receive a comprehensive online report that includes recommendations for improving your home’s ability to survive a wildfire. This evaluation may also determine if your property meets state and local requirements for defensible space.
Resources
For more information or to view our inspection schedule, please visit our webpage. Our self-inspection checklist is available for download. Our Inspections run annually March - November 2024
Fire Intern Inspector Program
The Berkeley Fire Department's Wildland Urban Interface Division hosts an annual internship program where interns conduct defensible space inspections in Fire Zones 2 & 3. In 2023, the Fire Intern Inspectors completed 11,434 inspections, averaging 180 daily inspections.
When recruitment opens, we will make an announcement here. The internship runs annually June - November 2024
Resident Assistance Program
The Resident Assistance Program (RAP) offers financial or logistical support to residents who face physical or financial challenges in addressing defensible space violations. The RAP funds contractors to help rectify these violations, ensuring safer and more compliant properties.
When our program is active, we will provide updates on our announcement page or through direct outreach. Our previous RAP Factsheet provides an overview of the 2023 program. Staff is working on grants to fund this program.
Home Hardening
The Berkeley Fire Department offers residents complementary metal mesh to cover home vents and free gutter guards to prevent gutter buildup. These home hardening measures significantly reduce the risk of embers igniting a house by blocking embers from entering the home through vents and preventing flammable debris from accumulating in gutters.
Download our Home Hardening Factsheet for more information. We ordered additional mesh and will provide more details when we are ready to distribute it.
Chipper Program
Chipper Day offers free curbside pickup, chipping, and disposal of vegetation for all residential properties in the City of Berkeley. This service helps residents create and maintain defensible space around their homes. In 2023, 1,203 pickups were completed, removing a total of 2,920 cubic yards of flammable material.
For more information, download our Chipper Day Information Sheet. To make a reservation, please visit our Chipper Day Reservation Page. This program runs annually from March to December.
Eucalyptus Program — OPEN NOW
The Eucalyptus Understory Cleanup Program offers residents in Fire Zones 2 and 3 a free one-time service to clear the understory of eucalyptus trees on private property. This includes removing dead and dried leaf and bark litter, stripping shedding bark from tree trunks, and trimming the lower limbs of trees. These efforts significantly reduce the risk of wildfires spreading into the tree canopy.
If your property has eucalyptus trees, fill out the application form and upload images of the trees on your property. For more information download our Eucalyptus Program Factsheet.
FireWise Support
The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) has developed the FireWise program to help communities reduce wildfire risk through effective vegetation management and home hardening practices. Staff from the Wildland Division present the FireWise criteria to neighborhoods and assist with the community application process. As of 2023, the City of Berkeley boasts six recognized FireWise communities, with over a dozen more in progress. Increasing the number of FireWise groups improves the city's eligibility for grant funding.
For more information, visit FireWise USA.
BFD FireWise Contact: KRevilla@berkeleyca.gov
County Coordinator
The County Coordinator aims to foster county-wide collaboration and coordination among wildfire mitigation groups, enhancing overall wildfire resilience strategies and community preparedness. Partnering with stakeholders from Alameda County and the California Fire Safe Council staff, the County Coordinator will develop a comprehensive wildfire mitigation strategy. This will involve building relationships between existing wildfire mitigation groups, connecting these groups with county-level emergency management officials, collaborating on fire mitigation projects, sourcing and assisting with county-wide wildfire grant applications, and conducting outreach and communication across the county. These efforts will significantly improve wildfire resilience and emergency preparedness throughout the county.
More information on the County Coordinator efforts and meetings will be posted as needed.
Grizzly Peak
The Grizzly Peak Project will establish a shaded fuel break along Grizzly Peak and remove hazardous vegetation blocking roadways, sidewalks, paths, and public rights of way. This initiative will enhance emergency access and egress, serve as a holding line during wildfires, and improve evacuation routes. The project is collaborative between the City of Berkeley, East Bay Municipal Utility District, East Bay Regional Parks District, and the University of California, Berkeley.
Our Grizzly Peak project webpage has more information on the timeline and scope.
Ambassador Program
The Ambassador Program is made up of volunteers who actively canvass homes in Berkeley's Fire Zones 2 & 3, gathering crucial insights on residents' needs and identifying homes at the highest risk for wildfires. In 2023, the program successfully reached 749 homes. Ambassadors found that 92% of residents plan to maintain or create defensible space, 33% plan to do home hardening activities, and one of the biggest resident concerns is evacuation routes becoming impassable. This initiative enables the Berkeley Fire Department to connect with residents who are not active online, fostering a stronger sense of community and enhancing local engagement.