In Conversation with Division Chief Cooper

As wildfire risks continue to grow in California, understanding Defensible Space, Home Hardening, and the new Fire Hazard Severity Zones is more important than ever. I had the opportunity to sit down with Division Chief Justin Cooper of the Monterey Fire Department to talk about what homeowners and renters need to know and how we can all take meaningful steps to protect our homes and neighborhoods.

Some of you may be familiar with these terms, and for others, they might be brand new. Either way, let’s break them down: 

What is Defensible Space?

Defensible space is the buffer you create between your home and the grass, trees, shrubs, or wildland area that surround it. This space is designed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and protect your home from catching fire, either from direct flame contact or radiant heat. Defensible space can be created by clearing dry vegetation, trimming back tree limbs, and keeping flammable materials away from your home. 

What is Home Hardening?

Home hardening refers to building or retrofitting your home with materials and designs that reduce the chance of ignition. This includes using fire-resistant roofing, ember-resistant vents, and non-combustible siding.

What are Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps?

These are maps created by the California State Fire Marshals Office and Department of Forestry (CAL FIRE) that rate areas based on how likely they are to experience wildfire. They’re color-coded into three levels: Moderate (yellow), High (orange), and Very High (red). They take into account slope, terrain, vegetation, weather, and put these in a model and it comes out how far embers can travel with prevailing winds, particularly how far embers can travel and ignite fires.

For any new homes being built in those areas in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and in a Very High or High Fire Severity Zone, you are required to have a wildfire resistant home. Stricter construction rules are required to reduce fire risk. This includes using non-combustible siding and Class A fire-rated roofing, and installing ember-resistant vents. More information can be obtained from the California State Fire Marshals Office. Now onto the conversation with Division Chief Cooper:

When I bring up Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps, Home Hardening, and Defensible Space Zones, many people are unsure what it means. Can you break down the guidelines so homeowners learn what is required for their homes?

Every property on the Monterey Peninsula, whether it is a vacant lot or developed, is required to have defensible space. These requirements help stop and reduce wildfire from spreading. Our team conducts Defensible Space Inspections (DSI) to remind homeowners of what they need to do to be compliant. 

When we get into Defensible Space, we come out and look at the house, and it is broken down into 2 categories. Defensible Space and Home Hardening. For Defensible Space we look at items such as making sure grass and weeds are not growing against the side of the house. If there are limbs that are too close to the house or overhanging a chimney, we ask to trim those back at least 10 feet. We are not telling people to cut trees down. It’s about trimming trees to prevent the ladder fuels from spreading up into the canopy. This is what we have seen with these catastrophic wildfires in Paradise, Lahaina, Palisades, and Altadena. It becomes a house to house ignition spread. If the wind is blowing 80mph, we are probably not going to stop a lot of these fires, but if we do defensible space, and we have a buffer, 20-30 mph winds, we can contain these fires.

Home hardening refers to making your home wildfire resilient, changing building siding to Class A non combustible siding, and replacing vents to prevent embers from traveling under your house to catch fire as examples. Other examples include not using woodchips that can spread a fire to the structure. We are educating homeowners about these items in the Fire Hazard Severity Zones. New buildings in the Very High and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones have stricter building requirements. All homes in the Very High and High Severity Zones will need to have additional disclosures when selling property including an AB-38 (Assembly Bill 38) defensible space inspection. 

What if you live in a neighborhood that’s not at risk? Are these steps still necessary to protect your home?

Yes. Every property is required to have defensible space. If someone is in an unzoned area, that does not mean you do not have wildfire risk. Even if your home is outside a mapped zone, you still could be at risk. Can we have a bad weather day where the wind is blowing in the opposite direction and a wildfire spreads through town in a part that was unzoned? You betcha. It really is up to everyone to do their due diligence with any type of risk. 

The Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps are based on models, but we know wildfire behavior doesn’t follow borders or lines on a map. Everyone should take steps to make their homes more resilient, installing ember-resistant vents, replacing flammable roofing or siding. CAL FIRE data shows homes that are hardened have a 40-50% higher chance of surviving a wildfire.

Where do you suggest people start?

A lot of people ask us about Zone 0, which refers to the area 0–5 feet around your home. That’s where we’re seeing the most critical vulnerabilities. This area should be kept clear of combustible materials like dead plants, wood mulch, or overgrown grasses, because it’s the most vulnerable to wind-blown embers during a wildfire.

Zone 0 has not been officially adopted yet, but we expect that to happen in January 2026. Once it’s in place, homes in Very High and High Fire Severity Zones will have a 3-years to comply with the requirements. We’re talking to people now so they don’t end up planting something today that will need to be removed later.

Right now, we’re asking homeowners to start simple: keep grasses trimmed below 4 inches and remove chest-high weeds near the house. This is part of our Defensible Space Inspections. (DSI) We also recommend replacing the last 5 to 8 feet of wooden fencing that connects to your house with non-combustible material, since fences can act like wicks, carrying fire right to your home. Additionally removing bark and replacing it with gravel and other non-combustible items are essential to prevent wildfire spread.

These steps make a real difference. It’s much easier for us to protect homes when trees aren’t overgrown and gutters are clear. Wildfires can spread fast from house to house, like we saw in Paradise and the Palisades. Our goal is to reduce wildfire risk to prevent loss of life and destruction of property including the environment. 

What advice do you have for people working with a limited budget?

Start with basic tasks. Move bark or mulch away from the house. If you’re replacing windows or vents, choose ember-resistant materials as recommended by the California State Fire Marshals list of approved materials including plants. Even if you’re in a Moderate zone where it’s not required, I would look at ways to help prevent wildfire spread on my property. Talk to your neighbors, consider forming a Firewise Community to reduce risk access, and potentially obtain lower insurance premiums. 

What is a Firewise Community?

A Firewise Community is a grassroots group of neighbors who work together to reduce wildfire risk in their area. Certified communities may qualify for insurance benefits and local support. You can visit Firewise USA to learn more about these neighborhoods or if you are local, reach out to the Fire Safe Council For Monterey County. 

How should renters or part-time residents be thinking about this?

They’re still required to maintain defensible space. If a fire starts because of unmaintained vegetation on a roof or lot, it can rapidly spread. Embers can travel a mile or more in certain weather conditions. Everyone has a part to play, even if they’re not full-time residents or are part-time residents. 

Many people are receiving Defensible Space letters, myself included. How is the program going?

It really is a partnership. The Defensible Space flyer that came out is a good checklist to remind people of items we are looking at for defensible space. We ask you to do your part in making sure this is done ahead of time because we want to do it before fuels dry out. 

We’ve hired six new Defensible Space Inspectors (DSI’s) who are now going door-to-door, educating homeowners. We will give you our expertise, look at what people have done to maintain their property. We work with people to be compliant. If we encounter a homeowner who is not, we talk to them to find out why. If someone can’t comply due to health or financial hardship, we’ve partnered with the Monterey Firefighters Community Foundation to help. Our goal is education first, penalties are always a last resort.

The program is going well. People are very concerned especially after the Palisades and Altadena Fires and seeing the devastation and loss. What concerns me is that insurance companies are dropping people. If there are ways we could be better stewards of the environment while we are going through this process that allows people to retain their home insurance and allows them to show what they have done, this is one of the drivers.

What gives you hope when it comes to community preparedness and fire resilience?

Grassroots efforts. People forming Firewise Communities. Seeing people take this seriously as it can happen here. My parents lost their home in the Paradise Fire. I have seen the devastation first hand, let alone being in this profession and deploying in this state. The side effects of how these fires affect people, mentally. It’s traumatic for someone to lose their house, all their valuables, to be forced out with nothing but the clothes on their back, sometimes with or without their pets. Then there is the catastrophic loss of life, it’s truly heartbreaking and devastating. Not all families get out. I am lucky my family did.  

Preparedness starts with awareness. Thanks to Chief Cooper, we now have a clearer understanding of the risks and responsibilities facing us as residents in fire-prone areas. Whether you’re in a “Very High” zone or not, we all have a role to play in keeping our homes and communities safe.

In this second part of our conversation, Chief Cooper opens up about his path to the fire service, meaningful moments in his career, and what keeps him grounded.

What inspired you to become a firefighter?

I’ve been a firefighter since 2004, I started my career in Pacific Grove in 1997 doing water rescue and this led me into fire service. Watching how the fire department interacted with the community, during emergencies and everyday moments, left a big impression on me. Giving back to the community is something I am fond of and there is not another career out there that I would ever want.

I go from the response side to the prevention side and do everything in between so that keeps me pretty busy. I have known you for many years for everything you do for CERT and the community. I think for me at the end of the day I sit back and I say, “Did I do enough to make an impact in people’s lives and the community?” That is the rewarding part of the job that I enjoy a lot.

What’s one memory from your career that has stuck with you?

One of the early highlights was being named Firefighter of the Year in Pacific Grove. My dad was there for that, and it meant a lot to me. Other big moments include promotions and pinning ceremonies, sharing those milestones with my wife and kids.

You’re known for staying calm in high-stress situations. How do you manage that?

It’s taken years of training. If I’m amped up, others feed off that. As a Chief Officer with the Monterey Fire Department, as a Division Chief you have to have that cool, calm, collected approach. Even when you are running the incident, you are talking to your firefighters and you are giving them assignments to carry out. If you are not calm you are adding a layer of stress at an incident that does not need to be there. This is a big part of incident management. The moment you feel like you are losing control and yelling for resources, it does no good for all of the responders. So, I try to keep the same monotone. The more I can be consistent, the better off the incident will be managed. When you’re running an incident, being cool and collected keeps everyone focused. Panic doesn’t help. I try to stay consistent and steady, it’s part of effective incident management.

Outside of work, what brings you joy or helps you recharge?

My family means everything to me. I coach volleyball, a JV girls volleyball coach, both of my daughters play indoor and beach volleyball, and one is also active in soccer, my son is busy with the Monterey Junior Lifeguard program and we travel around a lot. I enjoy camping, water sports, surfing, and scuba diving with the family and kids and two dogs. My house is never quiet. If it’s ever quiet, there is something wrong. I have a 16 year old daughter, 13 year old daughter and nine year old son, my wife – it’s a busy household.

Chief Cooper’s story is a reminder that behind every fire helmet is a human being, often one who has personally experienced the losses they work so hard to prevent. His steady leadership, lived experience, and deep care for our community are gifts we’re lucky to have. Thank you, Chief, for your dedication and service. 

We appreciate Chief Cooper for sharing personal photos from his wildfire deployments across California, offering a powerful glimpse into the front lines. Photo locations from top to bottom: Santa Cruz Wilder Ranch State Park (August 28, 2020), Red Bluff (September 6, 2019), and Gardnerville, CA (July 23, 2021).