Official Resources — Wildfire Agencies, Inspections & Insurance in San Diego County
How to use this page
This page is organized around tasks, not agencies. If you need a defensible space inspection, start there. If you have an insurance problem, go straight to the insurance section. Each entry includes the direct contact — not a homepage — wherever possible. This page is updated as contacts change. Last reviewed March 2026.
Defensible space inspections — who to call
The agency that inspects your property depends on where it is. The single most common source of confusion in San Diego County’s fire law compliance landscape is property owners contacting the wrong agency. Determine your jurisdiction first — SRA or LRA, incorporated or unincorporated — then contact the correct agency below.
Step 1 — Find your jurisdiction and designation
- FHSZ Viewer (address lookup) — egis.fire.ca.gov/FHSZ — Enter your address to find your FHSZ designation and SRA/LRA status
- SRA vs LRA Explained
CAL FIRE — SRA properties (unincorporated, rural San Diego County)
If your property is in the SRA — unincorporated county land in communities like Alpine, Descanso, Ramona, Julian, Fallbrook, Warner Springs, Valley Center, and most Ring 2 and Ring 3 communities — CAL FIRE’s San Diego Unit is your enforcement agency.
- CAL FIRE Point-of-Sale Inspection Request (online form) — fire.ca.gov/dspace
- CAL FIRE San Diego Unit — fire.ca.gov — General information and resources
- CAL FIRE contacts page — fire.ca.gov/about/resources/cal-fire-contacts
San Diego County Fire Authority (SDCFA) — unincorporated county areas
The SDCFA serves unincorporated communities including Descanso, Pine Valley, Mt Laguna, Ranchita, Warner Springs, Valley Center, and others in partnership with CAL FIRE. For defensible space questions in unincorporated areas, start with CAL FIRE’s dspace tool, then contact SDCFA if needed.
- SDCFA Contact — sandiegocounty.gov/sdcfa — General contact page
- SDCFA Defensible Space — sandiegocounty.gov/sdcfa/prevention/defensible-space.html
Heartland Fire & Rescue — El Cajon, Santee, Lakeside area
Heartland Fire & Rescue serves El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and portions of Lakeside and Santee. For FHSZ properties in these communities, contact Heartland for defensible space inspections.
- Heartland Fire & Rescue — heartlandfire.org
- El Cajon Administration — 619-441-1600 — 100 Civic Center Way, El Cajon CA 92020
- Inspection Request Form — heartlandfire.org/1279
North County Fire Protection District — Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rainbow
The NCFPD handles defensible space and AB 38 inspections for properties within Fallbrook, Bonsall, and Rainbow. Do not contact CAL FIRE for Fallbrook inspections — contact NCFPD directly.
- NCFPD Fire Prevention Bureau — 760-723-2010
- NCFPD AB 38 Inspection Information — ncfireca.gov/defensible-space-inspections-assembly-bill-38-ab-38
- Administrative Offices — 330 S. Main Ave, Fallbrook CA 92028
City of San Diego Fire-Rescue — City of San Diego
Properties within the City of San Diego limits use the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department’s online portal for real estate defensible space inspections. Fee: $118. Payment required at time of application.
- Online inspection request — sandiego.gov/fire/community-risk-reduction/wildfire-prevention
- San Diego Fire-Rescue general — sandiego.gov/fire
City fire departments — incorporated cities
Incorporated cities in San Diego County have their own fire departments that handle defensible space inspections within city limits. Contact your city’s fire department directly.
- Escondido Fire Department — escondido.gov — FHSZ map and inspection program: escondido.gov/528
- Poway Fire Department — poway.org — FHSZ map and inspection: poway.org/1162
- Santee Fire Department — ci.santee.ca.us
Riverside County communities (Anza, Aguanga, Idyllwild)
- Riverside County Fire Department — rvcfire.org — SRA enforcement for Anza, Aguanga, Idyllwild
- Riverside County Fire FHSZ information — rvcfire.org/our-departments/fire-marshal/fire-hazard-severity-zones
Federal land contacts
If your property borders or is near federal land — Cleveland National Forest, San Bernardino National Forest, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park — these agencies manage the adjacent wildland but do not satisfy your PRC 4291 obligations. They can answer questions about what is managed on their land.
- Cleveland National Forest Descanso Ranger District — fs.usda.gov — Serves Descanso, Julian, Pine Valley, Mt Laguna, Warner Springs area
- Cleveland National Forest Palomar Ranger District — fs.usda.gov — Serves Fallbrook, Valley Center, North County area
- San Bernardino National Forest San Jacinto Ranger District — fs.usda.gov — Serves Idyllwild area
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park — parks.ca.gov/anzaborrego — 760-767-5311 — Serves Borrego Springs
FHSZ maps and property lookup
- Statewide FHSZ Viewer — egis.fire.ca.gov/FHSZ — Address lookup for SRA and LRA designations
- El Cajon FHSZ Map — elcajon.gov/i-want-to/view/fire-hazard-severity-zone-maps
- Escondido Fire Severity Zone Map — escondido.gov/528
- Poway FHSZ Interactive Map — poway.org/1162
- San Diego City FHSZ Map — sandiego.gov/fire/community-risk-reduction/fire-zone-map
Insurance — getting help, filing complaints, and understanding your rights
The CDI Consumer Hotline is the most useful single number for San Diego fire-country property owners dealing with cancellations, non-renewals, premium disputes, claim denials, or risk score questions. They can mediate complaints, explain your legal rights, and connect you with resources. Extended hours are often in place following major fire events.
- CDI Consumer Hotline — 800-927-4357 (800-927-HELP) — Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, extended hours during disasters
- CDI website — insurance.ca.gov
- File a complaint online — insurance.ca.gov (select “File a Consumer Complaint”)
- CDI wildfire resources — insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/140-catastrophes/WildfireResources.cfm
- TTY (hearing impaired) — 800-482-4833
California FAIR Plan — insurer of last resort
The FAIR Plan is the state-mandated insurance pool that provides basic fire coverage when no traditional carrier will insure a property. It is a last resort — more expensive and less comprehensive than a standard homeowner’s policy. As of early 2025, more than 37,300 San Diego County properties carry FAIR Plan policies. You must apply through a licensed broker registered with the FAIR Plan — you cannot apply directly without a broker.
- FAIR Plan phone — 800-339-4099 — Claims and policy questions
- FAIR Plan website — cfpnet.com
- FAIR Plan broker finder — https://www.cfpnet.com/brokersearch/ — Find a registered broker in your area
- File a FAIR Plan complaint — https://www.cfpnet.com/contact-us/ or 800-927-4357
The FAIR Plan provides basic fire coverage only — it does not include liability, theft, water damage, or other standard homeowner coverages. Most FAIR Plan policyholders also need a Difference in Conditions (DIC) policy to approach comprehensive homeowner coverage. Ask your broker about DIC options.
Understanding your wildfire risk score — Insurance Code 2644.9
California law gives you the right to request your wildfire risk score from your insurer, understand how it was calculated, and appeal it if it does not reflect completed mitigation work. This is your most direct legal lever for improving your insurance position through documented defensible space, Zone 0, and home hardening improvements.
- Request your risk score — Contact your insurer directly in writing, citing Insurance Code 2644.9
- If your insurer doesn’t respond — File a complaint with CDI at 800-927-4357
- Full law page
The insurance market in San Diego fire country — what to know
The San Diego County insurance market for fire-country properties is under significant stress. FAIR Plan policies in the county nearly quadrupled between 2020 and 2024, reaching over 37,300 policies. In communities like Mt Laguna, Guatay, Palomar Mountain, and Warner Springs, more than half of insured homes now carry FAIR Plan policies. In Alpine, Julian, Descanso, and Pine Valley, more than 30% rely on FAIR.
Under the Insurance Commissioner’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy, companies that use the new state-approved wildfire catastrophe models are required to write more policies in wildfire-distressed areas. Mercury Insurance, Allstate, and CSAA were early movers under this framework. The market is evolving — what was unavailable in 2023 may have options in 2026. Working with a broker who specializes in California fire-country properties is the most effective path to finding coverage.
Insurers — current market status (March 2026)
The following reflects the general market posture of major carriers as of the last review of this page. Individual underwriting decisions vary by property — a carrier’s general posture does not determine what they will or won’t write for your specific address. Always verify directly with a licensed broker.
- Mercury Insurance — Filed to expand under Sustainable Insurance Strategy. Active in California market.
- Allstate — Filed to expand under Sustainable Insurance Strategy after pausing new policies in 2022. Availability varies by location.
- CSAA (AAA) — Filed to expand under Sustainable Insurance Strategy. Active in California market.
- Bamboo Insurance — One of the few carriers specifically writing high fire-risk areas in California. AM Best “A” rated.
- Farmers — Writing limited volume of new policies per month statewide. Restricted in high-risk areas.
- USAA — Restricted to lower-risk wildfire areas and existing members. Not broadly available in fire country.
- Nationwide / Nationwide Private Client — Nationwide Private Client stopped renewing California policies June 2025. Nationwide standard writing limited volume.
- State Farm, Farmers (broader) — Significantly restricted in California fire country.
- California FAIR Plan — Available to all California property owners who cannot obtain coverage in the standard market. Must apply through a registered broker.
This information changes frequently. The CDI maintains a database of licensed insurers active in California at insurance.ca.gov. For the most current picture of what’s available for your specific property, work with a broker who actively places fire-country properties.
Emergency notification and evacuation
- Alert San Diego — alertsandiego.org — Register your phone number for evacuation alerts and emergency notifications. Free. Essential for all San Diego County residents in fire-prone areas.
- San Diego County Office of Emergency Services — sdcounty.ca.gov/oes — Evacuation zone maps, emergency preparedness resources
- Watch Duty app — watchduty.org — Real-time fire mapping and alerts, widely used in San Diego fire country
- CAL FIRE incident page — fire.ca.gov/incidents — Active fire information statewide
- Riverside County Emergency (for Anza/Aguanga/Idyllwild) — rivcoready.org
Additional state resources
- CAL FIRE defensible space program — fire.ca.gov/dspace
- CAL FIRE FHSZ information — Fire Safety Zoes
- United Policyholders — uphelp.org — Nonprofit consumer advocate for insurance issues. Particularly useful for claim disputes and navigating the FAIR Plan.
- Safer from Wildfires program — insurance.ca.gov — Information on mitigation discounts available from insurers
- San Diego County Assessor parcel lookup — sdgis.sandiegocounty.gov — Find your APN (required for some inspection requests)
A note on this page
Contact information, fees, hours, and market conditions change. This page is reviewed periodically but should not be treated as a real-time directory. Always verify directly with the agency or insurer before acting. Last reviewed March 2026.