Four fire agencies in Marin County have earned a place on California’s 2026 Fire Risk Reduction Community List, recognizing their work to strengthen wildfire planning, preparedness, and community resilience. The list is determined by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection and is updated every two years. For 2026, the list has grown to 118 local agencies statewide and one Tribal Nation, up from only 50 agencies in 2024.
The Marin agencies included on the 2026 list are:
- Inverness Public Utility District
- Novato Fire Protection District
- Southern Marin Fire Protection District
- Stinson Beach Fire Protection District
What is a Fire Risk Reduction Community?
The Fire Risk Reduction Community List recognizes cities, counties, fire districts, Tribal Nations, and other local agencies in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones that meet the state-level best practices for local fire planning. The designation reflects community-level efforts to reduce wildfire risk and improve long term resilience. The designation applies only to residential and business properties within the service jurisdiction of an agency that is on the list. Residents who are unsure whether their property qualifies should contact their local fire agency.
What could this mean for property insurance?
California’s Safer from Wildfires regulations require insurance companies to account for applicable community-level wildfire mitigation designations in their rating plans. Fire Risk Reduction Communities and Firewise neighborhoods in good standing are among the specific designations that insurers take into consideration.
The designation does not guarantee a specific discount. Insurance companies account for the reduced wildfire risk associated with community-level mitigation designations, but property owners should contact their insurer to learn how the designation may affect their individual premium.
For additional information, residents can read our recent article on navigating wildfire insurance and should visit the California Department of Insurance’s Safer from Wildfires resources webpage.
Supporting continued wildfire prevention
The designation may also support continued investment in local wildfire prevention. Listed agencies receive priority consideration when applying for CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grants, although securing such funding remains a competitive process.
Being included on the state list does not eliminate wildfire risk or replace the need for action by individual property owners. Residents should support community efforts by maintaining defensible space, improving Zone 0, protecting their homes against embers, preparing for evacuation, and completing the priority recommendations in their personalized Wildfire Risk Reports.
Learn more
The complete 2026 Fire Risk Reduction Community List and related verification documents can be found on the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection’s program webpage. For information about wildfire insurance regulations and available discounts, residents should visit the California Department of Insurance’s Safer from Wildfires website or contact their insurance provider directly.
