ABAG updates technical assistance for wildfire, housing management

ABAG resilience staff recently hosted the webinar, “Wildfires & Housing: What’s New?” to bring local housing and wildfire professionals up to speed on the latest research, case studies and policy developments at the intersection of wildfire and housing.

These webinars build connections between jurisdictions to facilitate regional knowledge sharing and foster future collaboration that could build Bay Area communities’ resilience to wildfire.

The webinar builds on ABAG’s commitment to supporting Bay Area jurisdiction plans for housing with wildfire resilience in mind. It updated content from the 2021 ABAG Wildfire and Housing Cohort, a peer-learning workshop series which provided resources for planning and housing staff working to integrate wildfire and housing issues in local land use planning efforts like the Housing and Safety Element updates. The four virtual workshops in 2021 included subject matter experts presenting information on the evolution and behavior of wildfires, defensible space, home hardening, evacuations and responsive land use planning. Each session included practical takeaway information and references to key documents and background materials.

In the 2025 webinar, speakers from the State of California’s Community Wildfire Mitigation Program, the Marin County Wildfire Protection Agency, CAL FIRE, and the City of Berkeley discussed Fire Hazard Severity Zone map updates, state building code changes, and innovative local policies and programs around the Bay Area. The event drew 79 participants representing at least 43 jurisdictions from across the Bay Area.

Slide decks and the webinar recording are available on the ABAG Technical Assistance Portal. A companion resource guide provides an overview of how recent policy changes are shaping wildfire-resilient housing in California. It lays out a current baseline for wildfire-resilient housing and a framework for developing policies and programs that accelerate fire-adapted communities.