Community - Preparedness - Action

Welcome to the South Orange County Firewise Council

Your hub for practical, local guidance on reducing wildfire risk and strengthening our neighborhood readiness.

10-Minute Checklist Why We Are At Risk Firewise Certificate (PDF)

Living in a wildfire-prone region means preparedness is not a one-time project - it is an ongoing, neighborhood-wide effort.

Quick actions

Four distinct ways to get safer

Pick the path that matches what you need right now - assessment, risk map, hardening steps, or volunteering.

Our Mission

South Orange County Firewise Council

The mission of the South Orange County Firewise Council is to help our community reduce wildfire risk through education, collaboration, and action - strengthening home hardening, defensible space practices, and neighborhood preparedness so South Orange County is safer, more resilient, and better ready for wildfire.

Sharing trusted guidance and checklists for defensible space and home hardening
Coordinating community-wide risk reduction efforts and volunteer activities
Partnering with local fire agencies and Firewise resources to align with best practices
Promoting preparedness planning, including awareness of evacuation routes and emergency alerts
Keeping residents informed about local updates, events, and opportunities to get involved

Learn what Firewise USA is

Latest Alerts

Stay Informed

For official emergency updates, always rely on public agencies. These links are the fastest path during changing conditions.

AlertOC Signup ReadyOC

Know your alert sources

Enable phone alerts now - do not wait for fire weather.

Confirm routes

Plan at least two evacuation routes and keep a printed copy.

Start with Zone 0

A 5-foot noncombustible zone around the home can cut ignition pathways.

About Firewise

Firewise USA is a national recognition program led by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). It helps neighbors get organized, identify wildfire risks, and take practical actions that reduce the chance a home ignites during a wildfire.

What is Firewise USA?

Firewise USA focuses on the Home Ignition Zone - your home and everything within 100 feet. Embers and small flames can ignite homes even when the main fire front is farther away.

Recognition (not "certification")

Many people say "certification," but Firewise is officially a recognition program. Sites receive a Certificate of Recognition once approved, and again each year they renew.

Core steps

The Firewise USA recognition cycle is simple. These steps keep the work focused and repeatable year to year.

Organize - Plan - Do - Tell

1

Organize

Form a committee, identify a resident leader, confirm boundary and number of homes.
2

Plan

Complete a Community Wildfire Risk Assessment (at least every 5 years) and a 3-year action plan (updated at least every 3 years).
3

Do

Complete education and mitigation actions identified in the plan each year.
4

Tell

Submit our application and annual renewals through the Firewise Portal.

Annual community investment

A key annual requirement is documenting community investment: the equivalent of one volunteer hour per dwelling unit in wildfire risk reduction actions, tracked as hours and/or dollars spent.

View our recognition

Download the latest certificate for Portola Hills.

View Our Firewise Certificate

Our Community

Portola Hills II is a hillside community in Lake Forest bordering open-space/wildland areas typical of Orange County's Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). Our location near slopes, canyons, and wind-prone terrain means wildfire preparedness is part of everyday resilience.

CAL FIRE 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map

We post the latest CAL FIRE 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for Lake Forest / Portola Hills for reference.

View Map (PDF)

Source: City of Lake Forest and State Fire Marshal mapping.

Why risk is higher here

Mapped hazard areas - many foothill communities include higher hazard zones.
Wind + slope + vegetation can combine quickly during Santa Ana events.
Ember exposure is a major driver of home loss - the Home Ignition Zone matters.
Zone 0 (0-5 feet) reduces ignition pathways right next to the structure.

Go to Defensible Space Zones

Community Gallery

What preparedness looks like

Refurbished Slope

Brush Clearance Work Day

Neighborhood Edge and Defensible Space

Preparedness in Practice

Defensible Space & Home Hardening

Use this page as a practical reference. Jump to the section you need: zones, home hardening, checklist, and downloads.

Defensible Space Zones

Start with Zone 0. Then work outward with spacing, maintenance, and slope-specific practices.

Visual guide: Zones 0-2 and common landscaping concepts.

Zone 0 0-5 feet - Highest Priority

Clean + noncombustible

Create a noncombustible strip: gravel, decomposed granite, concrete, pavers, stone, or bare mineral soil (with erosion control as needed).
Keep this band free of combustibles - no bark/wood mulch, leaf litter, stacked lumber, or dry planters.
Keep any plants low, irrigated, and away from siding - never let vegetation touch the structure.

Local quick win

Aim for a continuous 5-foot "rock moat" around the house (or as much as practical), and keep it swept of leaves and needles.

Zone 1 5-30 feet - Reduce Spread

Spacing and separation

Use hardscape breaks (walkways, patios, driveways) to interrupt continuous vegetation.
Keep shrubs in small, separated groups - avoid continuous hedges.
Avoid ladder fuels (groundcover to shrubs to trees) that let fire climb upward.

Slope tip

On slopes, fire runs uphill faster. If your lot backs to a slope or canyon edge, treat Zone 1 as your buffer: lower plant mass, more spacing, more hardscape.

Zone 2 30-100 feet - Maintain

Ongoing maintenance

Remove dead/dying vegetation and accumulated litter.
Keep grasses maintained (example maintenance: cut to around 4 inches).
Maintain irrigation systems and fix leaks promptly.

Local maintenance rhythm

Two cycles per year: mid/late spring and early/mid fall - plus ongoing monitoring during fire season.

Zone 3 Beyond 100 feet - Extended Zone

Community-scale maintenance

Remove dead material where allowed and safe.
Coordinate slope and open-space work through the HOA and local agencies.

Vegetation clearance on slopes

Reference graphic for spacing and vertical clearance.

Horizontal spacing guidance

OCFA recommended horizontal vegetation clearance on slopes

Spacing between shrub groups and trees (canopy to canopy).

Home Hardening Checklist

Embers exploit weak points. These are high-leverage fixes that reduce ignition pathways.

Clean gutters and roof valleys regularly.

Screen vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh.

Replace broken windows; consider dual-pane upgrades.

Keep decks and fences clear of combustibles.

Move wood piles at least 30 feet away when possible.

Ensure address numbers are visible from the street.

Want deeper guidance?

Download the IBHS report on home mitigations (science-based guidance).

IBHS PDF

10-Minute Readiness Checklist

Check items off to get a quick score. Your progress is saved on this device.

Readiness Score

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Tip: Share this page with neighbors: copy the link in your browser address bar.

Resources & Downloads

Official documents and practical guides used in our area.

Downloadable Guides

External Tools

Note on HOA plans

Many homes here are influenced by Fuel Modification Zones (FMZ), Special Maintenance Areas (SMA), and/or Roadside Protection Zones (RPZ). Always follow OCFA guidance and your neighborhood Fuel Modification Plan if it applies.

Get Involved

Committee info, volunteer opportunities, and community updates in one place.

Committee

DS

Dana Silva

Chair, HOA Board member
OY

Olivia Yaya

Member
TS

Tim Stelter

Member, HOA Board President
LB

Laura Blaul

Member
JG

Joseph Greco

Member

Volunteer opportunities

Help track community investment hours for Firewise renewals
Submit photos of slope work and landscaping improvements
Support communications (flyers, email updates, website)

Contact us to help

Get Involved / Contact

Questions, volunteering, photos to share, or request an assessment - send a message.