Starting in the aftermath of the 2003 Cedar Fire, San Diego County has been at the forefront of County supported mitigation programs. San Diego County is currently participating in the California Wildfire Mitigation Program, a pilot program of CAL OES and CAL FIRE. This program is funded in part by FEMA to support California homeowners with protecting their property from wildfire damage through defensible space and home retrofitting. San Diego County was prioritized as a potential demonstration county after conducting a state-wide analysis of areas with high wildfire risk and high social vulnerability at the parcel and census-tract level. Fire risk, climate change, and census data were included in the analysis. Mitigation actions are at the heart of community led initiatives, the County being home to 43 community fire safe councils, more than any other county in California.
San Diego County is a complex mixture of
San Diego County Office of Emergency Services
5580 Overland Avenue
Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 565-3490
oes@sdcounty.ca.gov
website
![]() |
San Diego County Fire 5560 Overland Avenue Suite 400 San Diego, CA 92123 (858) 974-5999 Fire@sdcounty.ca.gov https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/sdcfa/ |
![]() |
CALFIRE – San Diego Unit (SDU) 2249 Jamacha Road El Cajon, CA 92019 (619) 590-3100 |
View contact information for Fire Safe Councils, Firewise Communities, and other programs that are working towards wildfire resilient communities. San Diego County has over 40 Fire Safe Councils under the umbrella of the San Diego County Fire Safe Council. There are also 30 CERT programs in the county! Get involved with a local organization to help protect your community and get informed up community mitigation events.
San Diego County Fire Safe Council
11769 Waterhill Road
Lakeside, CA 92040
(619) 562-0096
info@rcdsandiego.org
https://firesafesdcounty.org/san-diego-fire-safe-councils/
Visit the link above to view an interactive map showing the current 43 fire safe councils in San Diego County. Map funded by the Department of Conservation and administered by the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego.
![]() Firewise is a national program that encourages communities to work together to assess and reduce wildfire risks. Visit Become a Firewise USA Site to learn how to make your community Firewise. Alpine SD – Alpine |
![]() |
![]() |
San Diego VOAD valerie@uphelp.org https://sdvoad.org/ |
![]() |
San Diego County CERT To view contact information for all San Diego County CERT programs, visit the website below: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/oes/community/oes_jl_CERT.html |
California Wildfire Mitigation Program – Home Hardening Initiative | The California Wildfire Mitigation Program is a pilot program of CalOES and CalFire, funded in part by FEMA to support California homeowners with protecting their property from wildfire damage through defensible space and home retrofitting.
The communities that have been selected in San Diego County to pilot the California Wildfire Mitigation Program over the next three years are Dulzura (Summer 2022), Potrero (Fall 2023), and Campo (Fall 2024). Currently the California Wildfire Mitigation grant program is only accepting applications from the community of Dulzura. Dulzura applicants please apply here: wildfiremitigation.caloes.ca.gov |
Sunrise Powerlink Fire Mitigation Grants Program | The grants are available to eligible homeowners located in a focused area near the Sunrise transmission line corridor. The program will distribute up to $2,532.05 per parcel with a qualifying structure per fund year to qualified homeowners to conduct approved defensible space, structure hardening, priority vents and community protection.
For more information, visit: www.sunrisepowerlinkgrants.com/2023/ |
Chipper Program | Visit the Fire Safe Council of San Diego’s website to learn about the no-cost chipping program for residents in high fire risk properties. https://firesafesdcounty.org/no-cost-chipping/ |
Defensible Space Assistance | Individuals homeowners that need assistance to create defensible space, and are not able to do so because of physical, economic or other barriers, can apply to the Defensible Space Assistance Program (DSAP). https://firesafesdcounty.org/dsap/ |