A wildfire defensible space inspection of a home, walked from the road in: access, address sign, gate and driveway, slope and water supply; the 0–5 ft ember-resistant zone, 5–30 ft and 30–100 ft; then roof and gutters, vents, eaves, walls and windows, decks and attached fences, propane tanks, power lines and outbuildings — with recommendations grouped by zone.
Property and Survey
The property, its setting on the land, and who surveyed it.
Inspection Title
Reference
Client — who ordered the inspection
Address
Lot size, if documented
Local wildfire hazard rating, if known
Slope of the land around the home — Flat, Gentle — under 20%, Moderate — 20 to 40%, Steep — over 40%
Where the home sits — On flat ground, At the bottom of a slope, Part way up a slope, At the top of a slope or on a ridge, Next to a canyon or chimney-shaped draw
Photographs — the slope relative to the home
Your Company
Surveyed by
Your Role or License
Date
Time
Exterior survey from the ground. The home and outbuildings are not entered, roof fire ratings are not verified, and this does not certify compliance with any local ordinance or code.
Road, Address and Driveway
Can a fire engine find the home, reach it, and get out again?
Access road surface — Paved, Chip seal, Gravel, Dirt, Other
Who maintains the road, if known
Can two vehicles pass, or are there turnouts? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the address number readable from the road, reflective, and on something that will not burn? — Yes, No, N/A
Photographs — the entry and the address sign
Does the route in cross a bridge or culvert on the property?
Bridge material — Concrete, Steel, Timber, Culvert with fill, Other
Posted weight limit and clearances, if any
Is a load rating or engineer's certification available? — Yes, No, N/A
Photographs — the bridge and any posted limit
Is there a gate across the driveway?
Gate opening width
Overhead clearance at the gate, if limited
How a fire crew would open it — Open or manual — no lock, Fire department key box or switch, Keypad code shared with the fire department, Owner's remote or code only, Padlocked
Does an automatic gate open, or fail open, when the power is out? — Yes, No, N/A
Photographs — the gate and its key box
Driveway surface — Paved, Concrete, Gravel, Dirt, Other
Driveway length, approximate
Narrowest driveway width
Lowest overhead clearance on the driveway
Tightest inside turn radius, if a long or winding drive
Is vegetation trimmed back from both edges of the driveway and overhead? — Yes, No, N/A
Is there room near the home for an engine to turn around? — Yes, No, N/A
Notes on access
Water Supply and Hazards to Responders
What a crew could draw water from, and what could hurt them.
Water source usable for firefighting — Hydrant on or near the street, Storage tank with a fire department fitting, Pool, pond or other open water with engine access, None found, Not determined
Where it is, and how far from the home
Hazards a crew would want to know about — Propane or fuel-oil tank, Gasoline or other fuel cans, Pool or agricultural chemicals, Ammunition or explosives, Solar panels or home battery, Electric vehicle, Overhead power lines on the property, None seen
Where these are
Photographs — hazards
Zone 0 — The First 5 Feet
Nothing that can catch from an ember, right up against the house and decks.
Measure from the outer wall, and from the outer edge of any attached deck. Walk the whole perimeter.
Is the ground covered with gravel, pavers, concrete or bare soil, not bark or wood mulch? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the strip free of shrubs, dry grass and dead plants against the walls and under windows? — Yes, No, N/A
Is nothing that burns stored here — firewood, lumber, cushions, trash bins, doormats? — Yes, No, N/A
Have leaves and needles been cleared from the base of walls, steps and corners? — Yes, No, N/A
Are branches at least 10 feet from the roof and chimney? — Yes, No, N/A
Notes on Zone 0
Photographs — Zone 0, each side of the home
Zone 1 — 5 to 30 Feet
Lean, clean and green: less fuel, and gaps a fire cannot jump.
Main fuels in this zone — Mowed lawn, Dry grass, Shrubs or brush, Conifers, Hardwood trees, Ornamental planting, Mostly hardscape
Fuel density — Light, Moderate, Heavy
Have dead plants, fallen branches and dry leaves been removed? — Yes, No, N/A
Is grass kept short — about 4 inches or less? — Yes, No, N/A
Are trees and shrub groups spaced so their crowns do not touch? — Yes, No, N/A
Are lower limbs pruned up, with no shrubs under trees that would carry fire into the canopy? — Yes, No, N/A
Are woodpiles and lumber kept beyond 30 feet, or cleared around? — Yes, No, N/A
Notes on Zone 1
Photographs — Zone 1
Zone 2 — 30 to 100 Feet
Reduce fuel so a fire stays on the ground and loses speed.
Survey to 100 feet or the property line, whichever comes first. On a slope, note heavier fuel downhill as well.
Main fuels in this zone — Grassland, Brush or chaparral, Conifer forest, Hardwood forest, Mixed woodland, Orchard or irrigated land, Neighboring homes
Fuel density — Light, Moderate, Heavy
Are trees spaced apart, with gaps between shrub groups? — Yes, No, N/A
Are ladder fuels — low limbs, brush under trees — reduced? — Yes, No, N/A
Have dead trees, piles of cut brush and heavy downed wood been removed? — Yes, No, N/A
Heavy fuel just past the property line
Notes on Zone 2
Photographs — Zone 2 and beyond
Roof, Gutters and Chimney
The surfaces where embers settle.
Roof covering — Asphalt composition shingle, Metal, Clay or concrete tile, Wood shake or shingle, Low-slope membrane, Other
Is the roof clear of needles, leaves and debris, including valleys and behind chimneys? — Yes, No, N/A
Are the open ends of the tiles at the eaves and ridge closed off? — Yes, No, N/A
Gutter material — Metal, Vinyl or plastic, Wood, No gutters
Are gutters clear of leaves and needles? — Yes, No, N/A
Are non-combustible gutter guards fitted?
Does the chimney have a spark arrester screen in good condition? — Yes, No, N/A
Notes on the roof
Photographs — elevations and roof slopes
Vents, Eaves, Walls and Windows
Where embers get in, and what the walls are made of.
Are attic, soffit, gable and crawlspace vents covered with fine metal mesh (⅛ inch or finer) or ember-resistant vents? — Yes, No, N/A
Are vent screens whole, with no tears, gaps or missing covers? — Yes, No, N/A
Does the dryer vent have a flap or louver that closes? — Yes, No, N/A
Eave construction — Enclosed soffit, Open eaves — exposed rafters, No overhang
Are gaps in eaves, fascia and siding sealed? — Yes, No, N/A
Exterior wall construction — Wood frame, Masonry or concrete block, Log, Steel frame, Not determined
Exterior wall covering — Stucco, Fiber cement, Brick or stone, Wood siding or shingles, Vinyl siding, Metal, Log
Is there at least 6 inches of non-combustible surface between the ground and any wood siding? — Yes, No, N/A
Window glazing — Dual-pane, some or all tempered, Dual-pane, Single-pane, Mixed, Not determined
Are window screens metal and whole? — Yes, No, N/A
Does the garage door seal at the bottom and sides, with no gaps an ember could pass? — Yes, No, N/A
Notes on openings and walls
Photographs — vents, eaves and walls
Decks, Porches and Fences
Anything attached to the house that could carry fire to it.
Does the home have a deck, balcony or porch?
Deck surface material — Wood, Composite, Fire-rated composite or treated wood, Concrete or stone, Metal, Mixed
Is the space under the deck clear of stored items and debris, or enclosed with fine metal mesh? — Yes, No, N/A
Are the gaps between deck boards free of needles and leaves? — Yes, No, N/A
Are cushions, rugs and planters on the deck kept to what can be moved inside quickly? — Yes, No, N/A
Photographs — decks, balconies and porches
Does a wooden fence, gate or trellis connect to the house?
Are the 5 feet nearest the house made of metal or masonry? — Yes, No, N/A
Photographs — fence or trellis at the house
Notes on attached structures
Fuel Tanks, Power and Outbuildings
Stored fuel, the electrical service, and buildings close to the home.
Is there a propane or fuel-oil tank on the property?
Tank type and size
Distance from the house
Is a 10-foot area around the tank clear of vegetation and anything that burns? — Yes, No, N/A
Is it away from the eaves and openings of the house, as the supplier or local rules require? — Yes, No, N/A
Electrical service to the home — Overhead, Underground, Not determined
Are overhead service lines clear of tree limbs? — Yes, No, N/A
Is any shed, barn or detached garage closer than 30 feet to the house?
Left out of this survey — Interior of the home, Interior of outbuildings, Roof viewed only from the ground, Parts of the yard not reachable, Neighboring land, Fire rating of materials, Compliance with local ordinances
Details and reasons
Recommendations by Zone and Sign-Off
The work to do, grouped where the crew or owner will do it.
Recommendations
Zone or area — Zone 0 — first 5 ft, Zone 1 — 5 to 30 ft, Zone 2 — 30 to 100 ft, Roof, gutters and chimney, Vents, eaves, walls and windows, Decks, porches and fences, Road, driveway and address, Fuel tanks, power and outbuildings
What to do
When — Before fire season, Within the year, Ongoing upkeep
Photo
Summary for the client
Any other photographs
Surveyor — signature
Home Inspection
Defensible Space Inspection
A wildfire defensible space inspection of a home, walked from the road in: access, address sign, gate and driveway, slope and water supply; the 0–5 ft ember-resistant zone, 5–30 ft and 30–100 ft; then roof and gutters, vents, eaves, walls and windows, decks and attached fences, propane tanks, power lines and outbuildings — with recommendations grouped by zone.
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A defensible space inspection looks at a home the way a wildfire would reach it: along the road and driveway firefighters must use, across the yard where flames and embers travel, and onto the roof, vents, decks and fences where embers land and catch. This form walks that path from the street to the walls, records the zones around the house, and ends with recommendations grouped by zone. You can fill it in here and download a finished PDF without creating an account.
Embers, not the flame front, burn most homes
Most homes lost in wildfires are ignited by wind-blown embers, often well before or after the main fire passes. Embers collect where debris collects — in gutters, at the base of walls, under decks, in the corners of the roof — and they get inside through open vents and gaps. That is why half of this form is about the house itself, not the trees.
The other half is about fuel: what can burn near the house, and whether it is arranged so a ground fire can climb into trees or run straight to the walls.
The three zones
Fire agencies describe the space around a home in rings, measured from the outermost walls and attachments such as decks:
Zone 0, the first 5 feet: the ember-resistant zone. Nothing that burns — no bark mulch, no shrubs against the siding, no woodpile, no stored cushions or bins.
Zone 1, 5 to 30 feet: lean, clean and green. Dead plants and dry grass removed, shrubs and trees spaced apart, limbs pruned up off the ground.
Zone 2, 30 to 100 feet: reduced fuel. Space between trees and shrub groups so a fire stays on the ground and slows. On a slope, downhill distances grow.
Access matters to the people who come to defend it
A crew deciding which homes to protect looks at whether they can get in and out: a road wide enough, a driveway clear of overhanging branches, a gate they can open without the owner, an address they can read in smoke, and somewhere to turn an engine around. The form starts there for that reason.
What the survey does and does not do
It records what can be seen from the ground and the exterior, describes fuels and construction, and recommends work. It does not confirm compliance with local defensible space ordinances or building codes, verify the fire rating of a roof, enter the home or outbuildings, or decide insurability. Where a local fire authority runs its own inspection program, theirs is the official one.
Common questions
What is defensible space?
The area around a home where vegetation and other fuels are managed so that a wildfire slows down and drops to the ground before it reaches the house, and so firefighters have a safer place to work. It is usually described as zones out to 100 feet or the property line.
What is Zone 0?
The first 5 feet out from the house and any attached deck. The aim is that nothing in it can catch from embers: gravel or pavers instead of mulch, no plants against the walls, and nothing stored there that burns.
Do ember-resistant vents matter if the yard is cleared?
Yes. Embers can travel a long way ahead of a fire, so a cleared yard does not stop them reaching the house. Fine metal mesh or vents designed to resist embers keep them out of the attic and crawlspace.
Is this the same as a local fire department defensible space inspection?
No. Many fire authorities run their own inspections against their ordinances. This survey records conditions and recommends work; it does not certify compliance with any local rule.
How often should defensible space be checked?
Every year before fire season, and again after big storms or growth spurts. Gutters, roofs and Zone 0 often need clearing several times a year where pines or oaks overhang the house.