You’ve seen the footage. It's usually a shaky cell phone video of a car speeding through a tunnel of orange sparks, or a drone shot of a neighborhood that looks like it was hit by a nuclear strike. For most of the world, fires in California Santa Rosa are a terrifying headline that pops up every few years. But for those of us living here, or those thinking about moving to Sonoma County, the reality is a lot more nuanced—and honestly, a bit more hopeful than the news cycle suggests.
The 2025 wildfire season just wrapped up. Santa Rosa Fire Chief Scott Westrope officially called it on October 15, 2025, after some much-needed rain soaked the hillsides. We got lucky this year. A relatively cool summer meant those lush green hills didn't turn into tinderboxes as fast as they usually do. But luck isn't a strategy.
The Ghost of 2017: Why the Tubbs Fire Changed Everything
If you want to understand why Santa Rosa handles fire the way it does now, you have to look at the Tubbs Fire. On October 8, 2017, everything we thought we knew about "safe" neighborhoods died.
The fire didn't just stay in the forest. It jumped Highway 101. It moved 12 miles in just three hours, propelled by 60 mph winds. Basically, it acted like a blowtorch. It leveled Coffey Park—a suburban neighborhood that wasn't even in a high-risk zone. It destroyed over 5,000 structures and took 22 lives. People were running for their lives in pajamas because the alerts didn't reach them in time.
Then came the Glass Fire in 2020. Another 1,500 structures gone. It felt like a cruel joke. "Again?" everyone asked. But that second hit was the tipping point. It turned a community from "recovering" to "resilient."
The Real Cause (It’s Not Always What You Think)
Most people blame climate change or PG&E. And yeah, those are huge factors. But the Tubbs Fire? State investigators actually pinned that on a private electrical system, not the utility giant. The Glass Fire? Still "undetermined" as of early 2026.
The point is, the cause matters less than the condition. We live in a Mediterranean climate. It's designed to burn. The problem is we built houses where the fire likes to go.
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New Rules for 2026: The "Zone 0" Reality
If you own a home here, or you're looking to buy, you need to know about Zone 0.
Starting in early 2026, the California Building Code is getting aggressive. There is a new mandatory non-combustible zone—basically a 5-foot "ember-resistant" perimeter around your house. No mulch. No woody shrubs. No wooden fences touching the siding.
Is it annoying? Kinda. Does it work? Absolutely.
- Zone 0 (0-5 feet): Purely non-combustible. Think gravel, pavers, or dirt.
- Zone 1 (5-30 feet): Lean, clean, and green. No dead leaves in the gutters.
- Zone 2 (30-100 feet): Grass cut to 4 inches max. Trees spaced out so the fire can't "crown" and jump from one to the next.
Honestly, the insurance companies are the ones driving this more than the government. If you don't have a "Wildfire Prepared" designation from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), getting a policy in Santa Rosa is basically impossible—or at least, it’ll cost you a kidney.
The Rebuild: Is Coffey Park Safe Now?
Walking through Coffey Park in 2026 is surreal. It’s one of the newest neighborhoods in California, despite being decades old. Almost 90% of the homes destroyed in 2017 have been rebuilt.
But they aren't the same houses.
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They have tempered glass windows. They have "vent scrubbing" technology that keeps embers from being sucked into the attic. They have non-combustible siding. The city didn't just rebuild; they upgraded.
But here’s the nuanced truth: fire risk in Santa Rosa is a spectrum. If you’re in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)—think Fountaingrove or the eastern hills—you’re always going to be on the front lines. The vegetation there is beautiful, but it’s fuel.
The 2026 Wildfire and Landscape Action Plan
The state is currently rolling out the 2026 Wildfire and Landscape Resilience Action Plan. It’s a 10-year roadmap. Instead of just "fighting" fires, they're focusing on "beneficial fire."
We’re seeing more prescribed burns in the hills surrounding Santa Rosa. It’s a bit nerve-wracking to see smoke on a Tuesday afternoon, but it’s a controlled burn that prevents a mega-fire later.
"Resilience is not just rebuilding—it's accountability." — This was the sentiment at a recent Sonoma County Hazard Mitigation meeting.
The focus has shifted. It’s no longer about whether a fire will start; it’s about how the landscape responds when it does.
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What You Should Actually Do
If you live in or near Santa Rosa, "preparedness" isn't a one-time thing. It’s a lifestyle.
- Check your FHSZ: Go to the CAL FIRE website and look up your property’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone. If you’re in a "Very High" zone, your building requirements are much stricter.
- Get a Free Assessment: Permit Sonoma is still running the Wildfire Resilient Communities program. They will literally come to your house and tell you exactly where your vulnerabilities are for free.
- The 5-Foot Rule: Don't wait for a mandate. Clear the first five feet around your foundation today. Get the dry leaves out from under your deck.
- Air Quality is the Real Killer: Even if your house doesn't burn, the smoke will get you. In 2020, researchers estimated 3,000 deaths in California were linked to smoke exposure, not flames. Invest in a high-quality HEPA air filtration system for your home now, before the shelves go empty in August.
A Final Reality Check
Santa Rosa is a resilient, beautiful place to live. The wine is great, the people are tough, and the scenery is world-class. But the fires in California Santa Rosa are a permanent part of the geography.
We’ve moved past the era of "surprised" evacuations. We are now in the era of sophisticated mitigation. We have the best fire department in the state, better building codes, and a community that knows how to look out for each other.
The risk is real, but it’s manageable. Stay vigilant, clear your brush, and keep your "go bag" by the door. That's just how we live here now.
Actionable Next Steps:
Log onto the Sonoma County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan website to review the 2026 draft. This document outlines exactly where the next $60 million in grant funding is going for local fire breaks. If your neighborhood isn't on the list, attend the next public comment meeting to advocate for your area.