How your wildfire risk score is calculated
FireScores produces a 0–100 wildfire risk score for your home from a guided photo inspection. Here's exactly what we check, how we weight it, and what the number means.
The 29-point checklist
Items are drawn from El Dorado County wildfire guidance and California home-hardening standards, grouped into ten categories: roof, gutters, eaves & soffits, vents, siding, windows, skylights, decks, fences, and defensible space (Zones 0/1/2). Each item has a description, a reference, and a typical remediation cost range.
- Defensible space: Zone 0 combustibles, vegetation spacing in Zones 1 and 2, and fuel continuity near the structure.
- Roof and gutters: roof-covering class, damaged or exposed areas, and accumulated leaves, needles, or other ember fuel.
- Eaves and vents: enclosed assemblies, gaps, vent material, opening size, and likely ember-entry paths.
- Walls and openings: siding condition, window glazing and frames, skylights, and vulnerable transitions between materials.
- Attachments: decks, under-deck storage, fences, gates, and other combustible paths connected to the home.
The checklist translates public home-hardening guidance into observable conditions a homeowner can photograph. El Dorado County guidance is the primary local reference; we also use established California wildfire-resilience concepts where they clarify how an item should be inspected. Requirements can differ by jurisdiction, so the report is an educational screening tool rather than a code compliance certificate.
How AI grades each photo
For each item you photograph, our AI compares the image to the inspection criteria and returns one of three verdicts: pass, needs work, or fail. You can override any verdict — your call wins. Items you skip don't count for or against your score.
How the 0–100 score is computed
Each category carries a percentage weight (defensible space and roof carry the most). Within a category, every item has its own weight reflecting how much it matters to wildfire survival. Verdicts map to numbers (pass = 1, needs work = 0.5, fail = 0). We compute a weighted pass-rate per category, multiply by the category weight, and sum. Skipped categories don't penalize you.
What the score means
- 80–100 — strong hardening; keep your Fire Score Report on file and rescan after any changes.
- 60–79 — meaningful gaps; tackle the top action items first.
- 0–59 — significant risk; prioritize Zone 0, vents, and roof debris immediately.
How to use the result
Treat the score as a prioritized maintenance snapshot. Start with failed, high-impact items that can carry embers or flame to the structure: combustible material in Zone 0, roof and gutter debris, open or poorly screened vents, and wood attachments touching the house. Then address needs-work items and document completed repairs with a new scan. Comparing scans over time is more useful than treating one number as permanent; vegetation, debris, and building condition all change.
Limitations
- A photo only shows the visible angle provided. Hidden damage, concealed cavities, and inaccessible roof areas may not be detected.
- Lighting, distance, motion blur, seasonal vegetation, and blocked views can change an AI verdict.
- The score does not model weather, slope, regional fuels, evacuation conditions, or the likelihood that a wildfire reaches the property.
- It is not a professional inspection, engineering opinion, insurance decision, CAL FIRE designation, or guarantee that a home will survive.
Verify important findings in person and consult your local fire authority or a qualified professional before making safety, construction, or insurance decisions.
Frequently asked
How is my wildfire risk score calculated?
FireScores grades your home on a 29-point home-hardening checklist drawn from El Dorado County wildfire guidelines and broader California home-hardening standards. Each item (roof, gutters, eaves, vents, siding, windows, skylights, decks, fences, defensible space) carries a weight. Our AI reviews your photos, marks each item pass / needs work / fail, and combines the weighted results into a 0–100 wildfire risk score.
Is this an official wildfire risk score?
No. FireScores is an independent, AI-graded estimate of how well-hardened your property is against wildfire. It is not a CAL FIRE designation or an official defensible-space certification. Local fire authorities and inspectors make their own determinations — a high FireScore, backed by photo evidence, is a strong starting point for those conversations.
How is FireScores different from a wildfire risk map?
Wildfire risk maps (USFS, First Street, CAL FIRE hazard zones) score the area around your home — terrain, fuels, weather, historical fires. FireScores scores the home itself: the parts you control. Two homes on the same street in the same hazard zone can have very different wildfire risk scores depending on roof, vents, and defensible space.
How do I lower my wildfire risk score?
After your scan, the Fire Score Report ranks your fixes by impact. Typical high-impact moves: clear Zone 0 (the first 5 feet around the home) of combustibles, install 1/8-inch noncombustible vent screens or ember-resistant vents, clean gutters and add metal gutter guards, remove debris from the roof, and trim vegetation back from siding and decks. After you make changes, rescan to update your score.
Who is the Fire Score Report for?
It's for you — a clear, dated record of your home's hardening status with photo evidence. Homeowners use it as a personal action plan, share it with contractors when scoping defensible-space work, and keep it on file as documentation of the wildfire-prep work they've done.
How often should I rescan?
We recommend rescanning every 30 days during fire season, and any time you complete a hardening project. FireScores will remind you 30 days after your last scan.
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