Living in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)
WILDFIRE MITIGATION ADVISORS
Extreme weather is unpredictable and here to stay.
Make your property easy to locate, more defendable for firefighters, and if they can’t get there…self defended.
WHY IS A WILDFIRE MITIGATION ASSESSMENT IMPORTANT FOR YOU?
For those who have experienced the effects of wildfire in Sonoma, Napa and Marin Counties, taking protective measures to prevent wildfire from damaging or destroying property is obvious. But did you know that your insurance coverage can be positively affected when you have taken steps recommended by Wildfire Mitigation Advisors, including home hardening and creating defensible space? In addition, the outcomes from wildfire destruction for your neighborhood and community are improved. When it comes time to sell, the value of your property will be increased because you had a Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist conduct an analysis of the defensible space/structural hardening improvements made, and this will allow the buyer to have increased confidence in the purchase, thereby adding value.
WHY CHOOSE WILDFIRE MITIGATION ADVISORS?
Wildfire Mitigation Advisors is one of the first and most experienced risk assessment consultants serving Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties, having evaluated over 450 individual properties. You receive objective advice and actionable recommendations for better outcomes against wildfire. We do not sell any products but provide a comprehensive plan that can help protect your property.
Mary Jo Lafaye, Mortgage Broker, interviews Stuart Mitchell of Wildfire Mitigation Advisors
Mutual of Omaha mortgage broker, Mary Jo LaFaye, interviews Stuart Mitchell about protecting your home from wildfire. In California, wildfire season is here. Home and property owners find that their insurance premiums are going up, and sometimes their insurance is cancelled, forcing people to find insurance plans that provide less coverage for more money. Your home is arguably your most significant investment, Wildfire Mitigation Advisors can help you protect it!
RECENT PROJECTS
The RWE 5th Standard Solar and Battery Energy Storage Facility Vegetation Management and Fire Safety Plan, Fresno, Ca.
Wildfire Mitigation Advisors was hired by RWE to conduct an extensive wildfire assessment and overall facility safety plan for this 1600 acre utility-scale property.
The solar generation plant has the capacity to generate enough power for 26,000 homes and it’s state of the art Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) allows energy to be stored during peak energy consumption demands. The study focused on a Vegetation Management Plan and improved First Responder safety.
Bartholomew Estate Vineyard and Winery, Sonoma, CA
The historic Bartholomew Estate, Winery and Park consists of 375 acres of vineyards, gardens, and forest. The Park is a protected space where the public can enjoy the beauty and history of the land. Wildfire Mitigation Advisors performed an extensive wildfire assessment, safety and evacuation plan for this beautiful property, visited by hikers and wine-lovers.
INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR BUSINESS & HOME SAFETY
In an age of weather-driven disasters, such as wildfire, home and business owners may discover insurance is harder to find. You may even have received a warning or a cancellation notice from your insurance company! Wildfire Mitigation Advisors can help you by providing advice and actionable solutions to make your property more insurable, and to have better outcomes if a wildfire does occur. This video, by IBHS, a non-profit research organization, describes ways they are developing real-world solutions to improve safety in the built environment due to disasters such as wildfire.
WHAT WE DO
WILDFIRE MITIGATION ADVISORS COLLABORATES WITH
FINE TREE CARE SONOMA
We are proud to work with Fine Tree Care Sonoma to provide an evaluation of your property for a Home Hardening assessment and a pre-fire vegetation management plan, and certification that qualifying standards have been met. Evaluations are science-based using metrics advanced by the IBHS (Institute for Business and Home Safety), the research institute funded by the insurance industry to define if your home is insurable by meeting their objective standards. Don’t wait until you have received a warning or cancellation notice from your insurance company to make sure you have a Wildfire Prepared Home. If you have received a cancellation, Wildfire Mitigation advisors may be able to help you attain compliance, thereby reducing your insurance costs.
April Owens Design fire safe landscaping
EASY STEPS CAN SAVE YOUR HOME IN A WILDFIRE
Stuart Mitchell discusses ways in which homeowners can prepare for the event of a wildfire – pay attention to the zero to five-feet zone!
LEARN MORE ABOUT WILDFIRE MITIGATION ADVISORS:
SOME FIRE HAZARD EXAMPLES
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
The systematic check list used to evaluate the fire safety of our house was thoughtfully prepared and comprehensive. Stuart was very efficient and organized in applying the check list to our house. The advice he gave us was priceless.
Harry and Alina — Old Cazadero Road
We just read over your report, and we wanted to let you know how much we appreciate what you’ve done for us….I haven’t stopped raving about our time with you! Really, we can’t thank you enough for your time, expertise, and patience— you’re a treasure. Because of your insights and recommendations, we face the fire season with much more confidence…
Bob and Mary — Occidental, CA
Thank you again for your mitigation assessment today. At the beginning you said that you hoped to educate me, and in fact you did; I learned a lot. I appreciate the candor and tact that you demonstrated as you showed me the many weak and vulnerable spots on my property. The pictures are super and are perfect reminders of what we talked about. I look forward to watching the video you sent. I feel very fortunate to have met you and to have been started on the right path to make my home safer.
Emily — Occidental, CA
Stuart is a very knowledgeable, compassionate and capable practitioner in the newly emerging field of Fire Mitigation. This work involves a broad understanding of both the built and natural environments, and how to address fire concerns within both contexts. His eye for detail, coupled with a creative and resourceful approach to potential solutions, eased our stress given the ‘new normal’ threat of Fire in our region. I highly recommend Stuart as a go-to person to guide you through the understanding of your property’s vulnerabilities, as well as highlighting practical solutions to making your home more fire-safe.
R.J. — Santa Rosa, CA
Stuart came to our property, introduced us to the tools everyone living in wildfire country should use, and did a thorough assessment of the fire risks to our home. His expertise and his willingness to help us understand are both exceptional. We are already moving on the recommendations. 2 fires already this spring in Sonoma County reinforce the need for everyone to pay attention.
Ron – Santa Rosa
ABOUT US – STUART MITCHELL
Besides doing private consulting, Stuart Mitchell’s varied background includes being a contractor with the nonprofit Fire Safe Sonoma. He has conducted nearly 1000 home assessments in the North Bay, as well as produced presentations on preparing for wildfires in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), on Zoom and in person. He served as a FEMA trained Crisis Counselor for the Sonoma Complex Fires, is certified in Community Emergency Response Team implementation, and has been a Director of various nonprofit mental health programs. His respect for First Responders and his involvement in personal and public safety has led him to develop a keen interest in Wildfire Mitigation, because it combines human dynamics, environmental sciences, education, and community relations. The more we can take preventative action with our properties, the more likely First Responders will be able to do their jobs with improved coverage and safety, and the more we can build personal and community resilience. Stuart has completed graduate work in Environmental Health Management and holds a degree in Cultural Anthropology/Physical Geography. He completed S290 Intermediate Wildfire Behavior through the State Fire Marshal’s office and he is a Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist through the NFPA.
EMERGENCY ALERTS
There are many free Emergency Alert systems that can warn you in the event of a wildfire, flood or other Emergencies. Some can be downloaded as apps for your mobile devices and others can be registered for online.
SoCoAlert is a local, Sonoma County emergency alert system that warns of evacuation notices, shelter-in-place, tsunami and flood warnings. Register and create your account here. You can choose your contact method: home, cell, email or text. You can also download the SoCo Alert app for your mobile device.
Watch Duty provides real-time wildfire alerts, including notifications about wildfire status and conditions. It monitors bot wildfires and prescribed burns so you can be aware if the smoke you see is a danger. You can download Watch Duty at the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
Windy provides real-time local and national forecast visualization, including wind direction and velocity. You can access Windy online here, or download the app for mobile devices through Google Play or the Apple App Store.
OUR AFFILIATES
