Wildfire Prevention Co.’s Holistic Approach to Mitigating Wildfire Risk for Homeowners and Insurance Providers in Texas

Navigating these complex issues as a homeowner can be challenging, and the potential consequences of not addressing them include loss of insurance coverage and risk of home loss due to wildfire. However, homeowners are overwhelmed with outdated information and misinformation. Even fire departments have differing strategies for wildfire mitigation from station to station. Wildfire Prevention Co. (WPC) creates clarity for our customers by providing detailed risk assessments which use a combination of historical wildfire information, site specific data, and boots-on-the-ground evaluations, and offering a step-by-step plan to reduce risk. 

Studies from the U.S. Forest Service have proven that every $1 spent on wildfire mitigation education alone can save an average of $35 in wildfire suppression expenditures and damages.⁶ Simply by educating our clients on their individual wildfire risk, the state will see savings through altered behavioral patterns and taking active steps to mitigate risk. We have found that learning about individual wildfire risk is an impassioning experience for many homeowners and that knowing what to look for gives them a sense of confidence and security. 

Below is a breakdown of how WPC helped a homeowner address his neighborhood’s wildfire risk in the face of a combative HOA. 

Project Background: 

​​​After the Crabapple Fire in March 2025, CUSTOMER A, a resident from Blanco County, reached out after recognizing similarities in the environmental conditions in his subdivision and where the fire had occurred near Fredericksburg. 

CUSTOMER A was informed about basic vegetation management, but his HOA did not have any covenants to enforce property maintenance. Many lots in his neighborhood sat vacant and overgrown for years. He determined that the first step in improving his neighborhood’s safety would be to have a risk assessment conducted on the entire neighborhood, but he could only find sources to conduct risk assessments on one home at a time.  

WPC stepped in and agreed to the following scope: 

• Evaluate the wildfire risk in the neighborhood using fact-based evidence 

• Identify ways to protect homes, residents, infrastructure, and emergency responders fighting wildfires 

• Support healthy ecosystems and natural resources 

• Educate residents on wildfire preparedness and prevention 

Project Methodology: 

To evaluate the neighborhood’s true fire risk, WPC reviewed ~1,000 acres in total, encompassing the approximately 200-acre development, an adjacent neighborhood, ​​and surrounding wildland. 

By first gathering context about the broader county and environment, we discovered underlying conditions which could contribute to wildfire ignitions or more severe wildfires. We looked at factors included the following: 

• Population Growth: The population of Blanco County grew from 8,418 in 2000 to 13,358 in 2024. This represents a 59% growth from 2000-2024. 

• ​​​Fire Departments/Emergency Service Districts: There are three main entities responding to emergencies in Blanco County. The closest fire department to the subject site is a ~10-minute drive time.  

• Climate: 

• Red Flag Days: This type of warning issued by the National Weather Service forecasts perfect conditions for wildfire. Between 2022 and 2023, there were almost 50 warnings in this region, well above the ​​annual average (12 per year). In the spring of 2025, there had already been 8 red flag warnings. 

• Land Surface Temperatures: Land surface temperatures on the site peak at 130°F in extreme cases, priming the vegetation for ignition. 

• Drought Monitoring: Blanco County frequently experiences drought. Both 2022 and 2023 saw a yearly average Drought Severity and Coverage Index above 400 (a value of 0 means the area is not in drought, whereas 500 means that the entire area is experiencing exceptional drought). 

We also researched the neighborhood and the historic fire activity in the area.  

• Neighborhood Description: ~30 lots spanning ~200 acres, over 6 acres per lot. 

• Ingress/Egress: Only one main entrance with a fence surrounding the entirety of the neighborhood. Residents believed that there were two emergency egress routes, however both indicated sites were overgrown and not marked. 

• Fires in and around Blanco County: Since 2005, ​​there have been 764 wildfires in Blanco, burning ​​21,795 acres. Including Blanco’s adjacent counties, there have been 7,712 wildfires, burning 132,974 acres. 

• Number of “Major” Fires (100+ Acres) in and around Blanco County: ​​Since 2005, there have been 36 (5% of all fires) major wildfires in Blanco, burning 14,872 acres (68% of all acres burned). Including Blanco’s adjacent counties, there have been 195 major wildfires (3% of all fires), burning 100,615 acres (76% of all acres burned). The closest major fire to the site burned over 500 acres.  

• Number of Utility Fires in and around Blanco County: Since 2005, there have been 38 utility-born fires in Blanco, burning 450 acres. Including Blanco’s adjacent counties, there have been 230 utility-born fires, burning 3,226 acres. 

To supplement the historic information gathered about Blanco County, the WPC team utilized ​​remote sensing data over a multiyear period to gain detailed information on the type and condition of the vegetation at the 1,000-acre site, and to locate specific areas within the site that have historically been at a higher risk than others. WPC reviewed the following metrics to help inform us on specific fire risks: