You chose Portola Valley for its beauty and privacy. You also stepped into a wildland-urban interface where preparation matters. If you plan ahead during your first month, you can reduce risk, protect your investment, and feel confident when fire season arrives. This guide gives you a simple, four-week plan you can start the day you move in. Let’s dive in.
Why wildfire readiness matters here
Portola Valley sits in steep foothills with chaparral, grassland, and mixed oak woodland. Many properties have narrow, winding roads and limited access. These features increase the importance of early alerts, clear evacuation routes, defensible space, and basic home hardening.
California Public Resources Code 4291 sets a baseline for defensible space around homes. Best practices from NFPA 1144 and Cal Fire provide practical steps for vents, roofs, decks, and landscaping. Local rules and enforcement can vary. When you arrive, confirm permitting and defensible-space requirements with the Town of Portola Valley, San Mateo County, and your local fire authority.
Your 30-day wildfire-ready move-in plan
Week 0: First 72 hours
Focus on alerts, safety, and documentation.
- Register for emergency alerts. Enroll in San Mateo County and Town of Portola Valley notifications, and your local fire agency system. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone and follow official social accounts for updates.
- Walk your property. Identify primary and backup exit routes. Check driveway width and turnouts for emergency vehicles. Remove obvious hazards like roof debris and dead branches you can safely reach.
- Make an evacuation and communications plan. Pick two routes, two meeting places, and two out-of-area contacts. Decide who grabs what and who leaves with pets.
- Document your home. Photograph rooms, major items, and serial numbers. Store images and files in the cloud. Locate your homeowners policy and your agent’s contact. Review replacement cost details and wildfire claim steps.
72-hour startup checklist
- Emergency alerts set and WEA enabled
- Address numbers visible from the road at night
- Go-bags with water, medications, chargers, and copies of key documents
- Vehicles fueled and charged
- Whole-home photo inventory saved to the cloud
Week 1: Defensible space triage and ember defense
Handle the highest-return tasks close to the house.
- Clear roofs and gutters. Remove leaves and needles. Repeat as needed during the season.
- Move combustibles. Relocate woodpiles, propane tanks, and spare lumber at least 30 feet from structures and place them downhill if possible.
- Prune reachable dead branches and remove small ladder fuels that connect ground plants to tree canopies.
- Check vents and gaps. Install or verify 1/8 inch metal mesh on attic and soffit vents. Repair damaged screens and seal gaps at eaves, chimneys, and under decks to reduce ember entry.
- Assess your roof covering. Note if it is Class A, B, or C. If it is aging or not fire-resistant, add a roofing contractor to your vendor list for a future upgrade.
- Confirm permits before major work. Tree removal and large vegetation changes can require town or county permits. Some species may be protected.
10 quick defensible-space wins
- Clean roof and gutters
- Sweep decks and clear storage under and around them
- Move woodpiles and propane cylinders 30 feet away
- Install ember-resistant vent screens
- Cap or screen chimneys as required
- Trim vegetation touching the home
- Cut grasses low and space shrubs
- Remove flammable doormats and mulch near walls
- Confirm reflective address signage
- Check that gates and drive edges allow fire engine access
Week 2: Vendors and larger projects
Bring in licensed pros for big impact work.
- Schedule inspections. Hire an ISA-certified arborist or reputable tree service to assess hazardous trees along driveways and near structures. Consider a contractor for gutter guards and vent screening if you prefer professional installation.
- Reduce fuels in priority zones. Start nearest the home, then work outward. Use a chipper or hauler and coordinate with neighbors where vegetation crosses property lines.
- Ask about local programs. Some communities offer chipper days, cost-share assistance, or Fire Safe Council grants. Check current options with town or county resources.
Vendor vetting checklist
- Valid California contractor license and classification
- Current liability and workers’ compensation insurance
- Local WUI experience and references
- Written scope, estimate, and debris hauling plan
Week 3: Backup power planning and permits
Outages can coincide with red-flag events. Choose a practical, safe solution.
- Compare options. Consider a portable generator, a standby generator on natural gas or propane, or a battery energy storage system. Think about runtime, fuel logistics, noise, emissions, and whether you need critical-load or whole-home coverage.
- Use licensed electricians. Any system that connects to your panel needs a transfer switch, permits, and inspections. Follow PG&E and CPUC interconnection rules for batteries.
- Plan fuel and placement. Store fuel in code-rated containers. Always run portable generators outside, far from doors, windows, and vents to avoid carbon monoxide.
- Check incentives. Programs change often. Review DSIRE and utility or CPUC guidance for current battery or solar-plus-storage incentives before you buy.
Backup power at a glance
- Portable generator: low cost, mobile; needs safe outdoor use and fuel; limited runtime
- Standby generator: automatic, longer runtime with gas or propane; higher cost; requires permits and placement
- Home battery: quiet, no combustion or CO; can pair with solar; higher upfront cost; limited stored energy unless sized up
Week 4: Roster, drills, and records
Lock in your team, then practice.
- Build a short vendor roster. Keep contacts for an arborist, roofer or general contractor, licensed electrician, chimney or vent pro, landscaper with WUI experience, your insurance agent, and utility emergency lines. Note license numbers, insurance, and typical response times.
- Run a household drill. Practice loading pets, backing vehicles out, and using your exit routes. Test your communications plan.
- Centralize documents. Store permits, contracts, before-and-after photos, insurance inventory, and emergency contacts in a cloud folder. Keep printed copies in a fire-resistant box if available.
- Join neighbors. Connect with your local Fire Safe Council or a Firewise USA group to coordinate chipper events, shared contractors, and neighborhood readiness.
How to set up defensible space
Use a zoned approach that aligns with Cal Fire guidance and PRC 4291, then confirm the exact distances with your local fire authority.
- Immediate zone 0 to 5 feet. Keep it lean and clean. Use noncombustible materials near the foundation. Avoid storing anything flammable along walls or under decks.
- Intermediate zone 5 to 30 feet. Space shrubs and trees, remove ladder fuels, and keep grasses low. Irrigate as allowed.
- Extended zone 30 to 100+ feet. Break up continuous vegetation and separate tree crowns, especially on slopes.
High-impact home hardening
Target the parts of the home where embers and heat do the most damage.
- Roof and gutters. Clean often. Plan for a Class A roof when you replace it.
- Vents and openings. Retrofit with ember-resistant mesh and seal gaps at soffits and eaves.
- Siding and decking. Use noncombustible or ignition-resistant materials where practical. Keep spaces under elevated decks clear.
- Windows and doors. Double-pane tempered glass is more resistant to radiant heat and ember impacts when upgrades are planned.
- Landscaping. Choose low-fuel plants close to the home and maintain regular pruning and irrigation.
Permits and local approvals
Before removing trees, altering structures, installing generators, or making large vegetation changes, contact the Town of Portola Valley, San Mateo County, and your local fire authority. Some species are protected and will require permits. Electrical and structural projects usually need inspections and signoff by the authority having jurisdiction.
Insurance and financial check-in
Review your policy for wildfire coverage, deductibles, and additional living expenses. Ask your agent about pre-loss documentation and claim steps. Because availability and pricing can change quickly in higher-risk areas, engage your agent early and keep all documentation offsite in the cloud.
Practice and stay current
Conduct short seasonal checkups. Top off go-bags, recheck vents and gutters, and walk your property after wind events. Laws, incentives, utility programs, and local alerts can change. Verify current enrollment links, chipper days, and interconnection rules with the town, county, and PG&E before you act.
Ready to pair a wildfire-ready plan with a smart move? For discreet guidance on properties in Portola Valley and the inner Peninsula, and to align preparation with your next purchase or sale, Request a Private Valuation with Stephanie Elkins and the team at Unknown Company.
FAQs
How much defensible space do homes in Portola Valley need?
- State law (PRC 4291) sets minimum zones from 0 to 100 feet, but you should confirm exact local requirements and enforcement with your fire authority.
Can I remove trees right after I move in?
- Not always; protected trees and landscape ordinances may apply, so check permit rules with the town or county and consult an ISA-certified arborist.
Which backup power option fits wildfire outages best?
- Choose based on priorities: portable for low cost and short events, standby for longer coverage, or batteries for quiet operation and no emissions with proper permits.
What emergency alerts should I sign up for in San Mateo County?
- Register for county and town notifications, your local fire agency system, enable WEA on phones, and follow official public safety social accounts.
How do I vet contractors for wildfire mitigation work?
- Verify California license status, insurance, local WUI experience, and ask for references plus a written scope and estimate before you hire.
