The NFPA’s Firewise USA® program has become a cornerstone of wildfire safety across the nation — and nowhere is it more vital than in Los Angeles County, where hundreds of thousands of homes sit within the wildland-urban interface (WUI).

For the past three years, MySafe:LA, the Los Angeles division of the Safe Community Project, has been helping neighborhoods organize, apply, and maintain their Firewise USA recognition. As more communities in Los Angeles take steps to become “fire-adapted,” staying active through annual renewal ensures their continued success — and eligibility for key benefits like insurance incentives, grant opportunities, and recognition as official partners in California’s wildfire resilience network.

Why Renewal Is So Important

Each Firewise USA® site must complete an annual renewal through the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). This simple but essential process keeps communities in good standing and demonstrates their ongoing commitment to reducing wildfire risk.

Renewal matters because it:

• Confirms that the community continues to meet NFPA Firewise USA® standards,
  
• Documents progress in mitigation and risk-reduction efforts,
  
• Strengthens a community’s eligibility for insurance and grant programs, and
  
• Reinforces the culture of shared responsibility — neighbors working together to keep their homes safe.

“California has more Firewise sites than any other state,” said Dante Cornejo, MySafe:LA’s Wildfire Coordinator and Captain for field operations. “We often create a fire safe council for an entire neighborhood, and then create multiple Firewise sites under that umbrella for maximum benefit.”

The Los Angeles Context

Los Angeles County contains more than 140,000 homes located within Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) — from Brentwood and Mount Washington to the Hollywood Hills, Sylmar, and Pacific Palisades.

These communities face unique wildfire threats driven by:

• Fast-burning fuels such as chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and invasive grasses,
  
• Human ignition sources linked to roads, utilities, and equipment, and
  
• Wind-driven fire behavior during Santa Ana events that can push flames miles in minutes.

Firewise USA® neighborhoods provide a powerful structure for addressing these challenges at the local level — but their ongoing effectiveness depends on staying active through annual renewal.

What Renewal Involves

Each year, Firewise leaders (site coordinators) log into the NFPA Firewise USA Annual Renewal Portal to update:

1. Contact and boundary information,
   
2. Mitigation activities completed over the previous year (brush clearance, ember screening, home hardening projects, or community cleanup events),
   
3. Annual investment data — showing at least one volunteer hour per household or equivalent in mitigation costs, and
   
4. Verification from a partner agency, such as the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) or MySafe:LA.

Submitting these updates keeps the community’s recognition current and ensures they remain listed as an active Firewise USA® site.

How MySafe:LA Can Help

MySafe:LA supports Firewise neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles County by offering:

• Application and renewal assistance — guiding HOAs, community groups, and residents through the NFPA process,
  
• Neighborhood wildfire risk assessments, performed with trained MySafe:LA staff and local fire agencies,
  
• Firewise workshops and readiness events, helping residents understand defensible space, ignition zones, and home hardening techniques, and
  
• Educational resources and grant guidance, connecting Firewise leaders to the latest funding and policy updates affecting Southern California communities.

“Firewise is a community partnership,” said Captain Cornejo. “The progress that our Firewise communities make is a real-world metric for being resilient.”

Keeping the Momentum Going

Wildfire is not a once-a-decade event in Los Angeles — it’s an annual reality. Maintaining Firewise recognition keeps neighborhoods engaged, informed, and ready to respond.

When communities renew on time, they:

• Preserve their official status and recognition,
  
• Maintain eligibility for grants and insurance benefits,
  
• Strengthen relationships with LAFD, Cal OES, and CAL FIRE, and
  
• Demonstrate that Los Angeles neighborhoods can live safely with wildfire.

Get Started or Renew Today

If your Los Angeles neighborhood is already a Firewise USA® site, start your annual renewal today.

If you’re not yet part of the program, MySafe:LA can help your community organize, apply, and take the first steps toward becoming officially recognized.

Visit wildfirela.org or the NFPA Firewise USA Annual Renewal Information page to learn more.