Defensible space inspections surge in 2025 in Carmel, Pacific Grove and Monterey.

Katie Rodriguez here, reading the news about an unusual amount of rain for October spreading across parts of the state, specifically Southern California, but also San Jose, which saw its second wettest October day on record yesterday.

It’s a pleasant contrast to recent years, where the “typical summer season” continues to get longer and longer. Rainfall is nice to see in modest amounts, and in areas that can absorb the water. Last night as I was listening to rain patter on my roof, I thought about the areas of Los Angeles scarred by fire, and the flash floods they might see if they got just a tad too much.

It’s been 10 months since those fires, and nearly seven months since Cal Fire responded with updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for Central California. Alongside the release of those maps, Cal Fire announced plans to focus on home inspections to enforce defensible space mandates.

Homeowners—especially those now living within the crimson red boundary lines indicating high fire hazard zones—were required to take action within the first five feet of their homes, a zone Cal Fire refers to as “Zone Zero.” I previously reported on this, how they conduct them, and what county agencies were doing to ensure the region is better prepared for the next wildfire.

Since then, they've gotten to work. The Monterey Fire Department has released its first set of numbers showing significant progress—nearly quadrupling the number of defensible space inspections conducted in 2025 compared to the previous year.

From 2024 to 2025, the number of defensible space inspections increased by nearly 300 percent: from 875 to 3,459. The total number of defensible space inspections conducted across the cities of Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel now stands at 4,334 over the two-year period.

“We brought on nine additional defensible space inspectors that are basically part time,” says Justin Cooper, Monterey Fire Division Chief. “It’s critical. And it's not just defensible space, it’s also educating homeowners on home hardening.”

He adds that the reception from the public so far has generally been positive. There are recurring questions, particularly around tree ordinances and how to navigate planning department requirements, especially when building codes place restrictions on what’s allowed in different cities.

“For example, you're allowed to hardscape the first five feet of your house to include gravel, which a lot of places haven’t allowed in the past,” he says.

The department has also increased inspections of vacant lots—undeveloped parcels. From 2024 to 2025, the number of vacant lot inspections jumped from 55 to 348—an increase of over 500 percent.

I asked Cooper what he thought about the rain. “I love the rain because it lowers our risk of, obviously, wildfires,” he says. “But today, I think we've been on three or four vehicle accidents because of the rain and people driving fast and speeding. Fire prevention isn't necessarily just fire prevention—it's really community risk reduction.”

For information on how to prepare your home or schedule an inspection, visit the City of Monterey's website or contact the Fire Prevention Office at (831) 646-3908.