From Stucco to Goats: Irvine’s Fire Safety Playbook
Training today, protection tomorrow: Irvine’s wildfire readiness starts with drills like this controlled burn.
Photo credit Jay Heike
When the Palisades Fire erupted in Los Angeles on January 7th, 2025, Irvine was reminded of its own wildfire threat in 2020, when the Silverado fire reached its borders. Evacuation orders were in place, schools were closed, and roads were shut down. By the time it was contained, over 13,000 acres of Orange County had burned, but structural damage was minimal, and there were zero casualties. This left many wondering how Irvine prepared so effectively for such a threat.
Irvine has long been recognized as a leader in fire management. "The residents as a whole seem to take great pride in maintaining their homes and keeping them updated with the latest trends to reduce the risk and likelihood of their home sustaining damage,” said Greg Barta, a fire captain for the Orange County Fire Authority. “We’ve had some brush fires that have come through in the last handful of years, and Irvine has done very well as far as not losing homes.”
Irvine takes fire management into account in every step, starting from the very beginning when houses are built. According to the LA Times, homes are built with fire safety in mind, using fire resistant materials like stucco, concrete or cement. Vents are installed with filters that are made to prevent embers from making their way into air systems, and windows are often protected with tempered glass.
Local fire departments are vigilant in ensuring homes are fire safe, with the Orange County Fire Authority providing home inspections to those who own homes in the wildland urban interface. One of the first things the Fire Authority looks at is the ‘defensible space’ around the property, which is the amount of space between the home and the vegetation around it. Residents need to ensure that there are one hundred feet of fire resistant vegetation around their home, which can include plants like succulents, oak trees or lavender.
In addition to homes, Irvine also has a lot of open spaces, and the city has come up with a more unconventional way to deal with vegetation management in those areas: goat grazing. A lot of Irvine’s steep hills can’t be easily accessed by humans. Instead, goats are sent to eat the overgrown vegetation. This makes it harder for fires to spread across areas like Sepulveda Vista Point.
While Irvine and the Orange County Fire Authority try their best to keep Irvinites safe, not every tragedy can be anticipated or prevented by our current system. That’s why it is our job as Irvine residents to ensure that we stay alert and prepared in times of high risk, such as during Santa Ana winds or red flag warnings. The Fire Authority recommends consistently checking for updates on evacuation orders in your area. Additionally, creating an action plan and setting up an emergency kit for when you need to leave quickly can help your family stay safe. This wildfire season, together, let’s prioritize safety so we can ensure a brighter tomorrow.