Dublin Wildfire Protection: Fire Zone, Insurance and Home Hardening
Dublin's fire risk became front-page news in 2025 when the Parks Fire burned 118 acres along the Dublin-San Ramon border, forcing evacuations within sight of suburban backyards. CAL FIRE designates northern ridgelines and eastern transition areas as Very High and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Fast-moving grass fires are the primary threat, with the Camp Parks Reserve and Tassajara Hills creating large undeveloped fuel beds adjacent to newer housing developments.
The 2025 Parks Fire burned 118 acres along the Dublin-San Ramon border, forcing evacuations of homes in some of Dublin's newest housing developments.
Dublin at a Glance
Keeping Home Insurance in Dublin
Dublin home values in newer eastern developments commonly range from $1.5M to $3M. Some luxury properties approach or exceed the $3M FAIR Plan cap, leaving homeowners underinsured.
Many Dublin homeowners pair hardening with automated wildfire sprinklers that wet the roof and eaves before embers arrive.
Got a notice from your insurer? Here is what to do after a non-renewal.
If You Lose the Home
Dublin Wildfire Loss: The Recovery Picture Most Policies Miss
The 2025 Parks Fire burned 118 acres along the Dublin-San Ramon border within sight of suburban backyards, a reminder that fast-moving grass fires do not respect neighborhood boundaries. Dublin's newer developments sit adjacent to large undeveloped fuel beds, and CAL FIRE designates portions of the city as Very High and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The recovery experience from other California fires shows what a total loss would actually demand from a household.
$300,000
Most Survivors Were Underinsured
The City of Santa Rosa determined that roughly two-thirds of households who lost homes in the 2017 Tubbs Fire were underinsured, short by an average of $300,000. Dublin homeowners in newer subdivisions may assume their policies are current, but replacement cost estimates drift quickly.[1]
2 years
Temporary Housing Coverage Runs Out
Most Tubbs Fire policies covered two years of temporary housing. As that coverage expired, families faced the double burden of a mortgage payment and a rent payment simultaneously, often while rebuilding was still years away from completion.[2]
Flat suburb
Low-Risk Zones Can Still Burn
The Tubbs Fire consumed Coffey Park, a flat suburban subdivision located in Santa Rosa. The city's vice mayor told state lawmakers that Coffey Park was not in a high fire risk area. Dublin's grass-fire environment means similar surprises are possible outside formally designated hazard zones.[1]
“When you lose maybe ten homes, you can rebuild them. But, when you lose 6,000 you can’t.”
Historical Fire Record
The terrain and vegetation that define Dublin have fueled fires here for over a century.
Parks Fire
118 acres burned east of Dougherty Road and Bollinger Canyon Road near Camp Parks training facility along the Dublin-San Ramon border. Forward progress stopped same day.
Tassajara Vegetation Fire
91.2 acres burned in Tassajara Valley near Highland Road and Collier Canyon in Dublin.
SCU Lightning Complex (nearby)
The SCU Lightning Complex perimeter came close to Dublin's eastern edges. Smoke and air quality impacts affected the community.
Why Dublin Faces Elevated Risk
Northern Ridgeline Exposure
Dublin Hills Regional Park and northern ridgelines create WUI conditions with Very High and High FHSZ designations.
Fast-Moving Grass Fires
Annual grassland dominates surrounding hills. The 2025 Parks Fire and 2022 Tassajara Vegetation Fire demonstrated this risk.
Camp Parks Wildland Buffer
The 2,485-acre Camp Parks Reserve adjacent to Dublin contains significant grass and brushland that could fuel fires spreading into residential areas.
Diablo Wind Exposure
Tri-Valley location exposes Dublin to Diablo wind-driven grass fire potential during fall fire season.
Sources: CAL FIRE incident data, Marin County fire history archives, First Street Foundation.
Live Bay Area fire status
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The Problem
Most Homes Have 3-5 Wildfire Vulnerabilities
Embers cause most home ignitions. They enter through vents, collect under decks, travel along fences, and ignite vegetation at the foundation.
Unscreened vent
Open deck skirting
Zone 0 violation
Fence flame path
Free Wildfire Map
Enter any California address to see fire hazard severity zones, vegetation density, and nearby fire history.
Open Free Wildfire MapDefensible Space & Home Hardening
California law requires property owners in fire hazard zones to maintain defensible space and harden their homes.
Ember-Resistant Zone
0-5 ft
Remove all combustible material within five feet. No mulch, no plants, no firewood. Hardscape only.
Lean, Clean, and Green
5-30 ft
Well-spaced, low plants. Trim branches 6 ft from ground. 10 ft between canopies. Grass to 4 inches.
Fuel Reduction Zone
30-100 ft
Remove ladder fuels. Space shrub groups. Create vertical gaps between ground cover and canopies.
Priority Order
Screen all vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh
Clear Zone 0 (first 5 feet)
Clean gutters and roof of debris
Replace or disconnect wood fence at house
Enclose open eaves and soffits
Enclose or screen deck skirting
Exterior Sprinkler Systems
FireRoofs designs and coordinates automated exterior sprinkler systems in our Bay Area service area (41 communities). They saturate the property before fire arrives, buying critical time.Dublin is not in our installation area, but the Home Wildfire Assessment Report identifies which hardening measures will have the greatest impact on your property.
Common Questions
Is Dublin in a fire hazard zone?
Yes. CAL FIRE designates portions of Dublin as Very High and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, concentrated in the northern ridgelines (Dublin Hills) and eastern transition areas. The valley floor is Moderate or undesignated. Updated per 2025 CAL FIRE maps.
What was the most recent wildfire near Dublin?
The 2025 Parks Fire burned 118 acres along the Dublin-San Ramon border near the Camp Parks training facility, forcing evacuations and destroying vegetation within sight of suburban backyards. In 2022, the Tassajara Vegetation Fire burned 91 acres in Tassajara Valley.
Will wildfire risk affect my insurance in Dublin?
Newer eastern Dublin developments (Positano, Wallis Ranch, Schaefer Ranch) have homes commonly valued at $1.5M to $3M, and some luxury properties approach or exceed the $3M FAIR Plan cap. California's Safer from Wildfires regulation (Regulation 2644.9) now requires insurers to consider documented home hardening and defensible space improvements. Documenting your mitigation measures is the strongest step you can take.
How does a photo-based wildfire assessment work?
A photo-based wildfire assessment is a 30-minute guided phone session where you walk around your property and photograph specific elements: vents, eaves, decks, fencing, roof, vegetation clearance, and attachments. A wildfire defense specialist analyzes each photo against California Building Code Chapter 7A, PRC 4291, and AB 38 requirements. You receive a written report with photo-by-photo findings, code citations, a prioritized action plan, defensible space zone ratings, and insurance documentation you can hand to your broker or any local contractor.
Not in our service area
Questions about your property?
FireRoofs designs and coordinates sprinkler systems in our Bay Area service area. If your home is outside it, contact us and we will point you in the right direction.
This page is not an emergency resource. If you see fire or smoke, call 911. For evacuation alerts in Alameda County, register for AlertMarin.