Rebuilding · Updated October 2026

Making Sunset Mesa Fire-Resilient and Insurable

The January 7, 2025 Palisades Fire destroyed 305 of the 473 homes in Sunset Mesa. Whether you are rebuilding, repairing a home that survived, or planning to return, the question we hear most is the same: how do we protect our homes, and how do we get them insured at a fair price?

The SMPOA Board is leading a voluntary, neighborhood-wide effort with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to harden homes against wind-driven wildfire and earn IBHS Wildfire Prepared certification, home by home and block by block. This page summarizes our October 2, 2026 letter to homeowners. Each section below has the full details.

The short version

  • Embers, not walls of flame, ignite most homes. Embers can travel more than a mile ahead of a wildfire and collect in vents, gutters, mulch, and under decks.
  • Every parcel has a zone. IBHS placed each parcel in the Flame Zone (Enhanced level) or the Ember Zone (Essential level). Find your parcel.
  • Certification is proof you can share. An IBHS designation is independent, third-party evidence of mitigation for insurers, lenders, and buyers. It does not guarantee coverage or savings.
  • Rebuilding? Design to Enhanced now. Homes under construction can apply once complete, and new code alone does not earn certification.
  • It's voluntary. SMPOA cannot require it. It works only if enough neighbors choose to do the work.

Read the full guide

01Why We're Taking This OnThe insurance picture after the fire, and why SMPOA is leading a voluntary effort. 02IBHS & How Homes BurnWho IBHS is, why we chose its program, and what the science says about embers. 03Flame Zone or Ember Zone?Find your parcel on the IBHS map to see which certification level applies. 04What the Standards RequireEssential vs. Enhanced requirements, what counts as noncombustible, and how this compares with code. 05The 0–5 Foot ZoneThe noncombustible zone around your home, plus firewood, propane, hot tubs, and sheds. 06Insurance & Mercury's StandardOne insurer's published baseline, compared with IBHS, and what to ask your agent. 07How to Get CertifiedEligibility, the six-step process, costs, and a free evaluation to get started. 08Neighborhood & Block CertificationHow IBHS certifies neighborhoods, and the 11 blocks that can certify on their own. 09What You Can Do NowNext steps whether you're rebuilding, repairing, or simply want to help, plus resources.

Start here · Free

Get a free Home Ignition Zone evaluation

The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains (RCDSMM) offers free 45–60 minute visits. A trained evaluator reviews your home and landscape and gives you personalized recommendations plus a written summary. RCDSMM knows the IBHS requirements, so it is a no-cost way to learn what your home would need for certification. The report is shared only with you.

Sign up for a free evaluation or email wildfire@rcdsmm.org

Where to learn more

Questions? Contact the SMPOA Board, and watch this website and the Sunset Mesa e-newsletter for updates.