Berkeley Recognized as a 2026 Fire Risk Reduction Community

The Berkeley Fire Department is proud to announce that the City of Berkeley has once again been recognized by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection as a 2026 Fire Risk Reduction Community (FRRC).

This marks Berkeley's third consecutive FRRC designation, reflecting the City's ongoing commitment to reducing wildfire risk through planning, community preparedness, and long-term wildfire resilience.

The Fire Risk Reduction Community List (FRRCL) recognizes local governments that meet California's best practices for wildfire planning and risk reduction. To earn this designation, Berkeley has implemented wildfire safety measures that exceed state requirements, including enhanced local defensible space regulations and wildfire mitigation planning.

Designation as an FRRC provides meaningful benefits for both the City and its residents. FRRCs receive priority consideration for CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant funding, helping support future wildfire mitigation projects. In addition, under California's Safer from Wildfires insurance regulations (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 10, § 2644.9(d)), insurance companies are required to consider community-level wildfire mitigation designations, including FRRC status, when developing wildfire risk rating plans. As a result, some property owners may benefit from insurance discounts or other policy advantages based on their community's wildfire risk reduction efforts.

The 2026 FRRCL includes 118 recognized agencies and one Tribal Nation from across California, highlighting communities that are taking proactive steps to reduce wildfire risk and build long-term resilience.

Read the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection's official announcement to learn more about the program, or view the complete 2026 Fire Risk Reduction Community List to see all of this year's recognized communities.