California developer builds first 'wildfire-resilient' neighborhood
KB Home said its new Dixon Trail community in Escondido, Calif. is the country's first wildfire-resilient neighborhood. (KB HOME)
ESCONDIDO, Calif. - A California residential developer is building what's being called the country’s first "wildfire-resilient" neighborhood.
What we know:
KB Home said its new community in Escondido, in San Diego County, is being constructed with fire-resistant building materials and methods to protect against direct flame contact and radiant heat and embers.
The features help to "meaningfully reduce the likelihood of wildfire spread," KB Home said.
The developer said the new Dixon Trail community meets wildfire resilience standards developed by the non-profit Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).
The independent research group seeks to find ways to protect homes and communities against natural disasters.
KB Home said Dixon Trail was constructed with research-backed methods and materials, including Class A fire-rated roofs, noncombustible gutters, and ember and flame-resistant vents.
Beyond fire-resilient homes
The home builder noted the approach goes beyond how individual homes are constructed.
"Research shows that both homesite- and neighborhood-level strategies are key in preventing wildfires from becoming catastrophic," the home-building company said.
The materials used throughout the neighborhood and the spacing of the structures are carefully taken into account.
"Wildfire risk is reduced by separating almost all structures by more than 10 feet and decreasing potential fuels through the use of fire-resistant materials like all-metal fence systems," KB Home said.
Dig deeper:
The community is being built amid a home insurance crisis in California, as insurers have spiked rates or dropped or reduced coverage, due to heightened wildfire risks and high costs of doing business in the state.
SEE ALSO: State Farm's request for 22% rate hike in California approved
"With fire becoming an increasingly common threat in the West, it's crucial to reconsider how we construct communities in fire-prone regions," said IBHS’s CEO Roy Wright. "KB Home is at the forefront, implementing our research-driven wildfire mitigation strategies for both the parcel and neighborhood levels at Dixon Trail."
The community
At completion, the community will include a total of 64 new homes.
Prices start at $1,029,990, KB's Dixon Trail website said.
The community opened in October, and about 50% of the homes have been sold, according to a KB Home sales agent.
The available homes range from being ready to move in to being personalized and built to order.
The home designs come with options offering three to five bedrooms and 2.5 to 3.5 baths.
What we don't know:
It’s unclear if KB Home has immediate plans to roll out more wildfire-resilient communities.
The Los Angeles-based company has a notable presence in the Bay Area. On its website, KB said its homes are in "commuter-friendly locations," offering easy accessibility to major employment hubs in San Francisco and across the region from the East Bay, Sonoma Valley, Contra Costa, the Tri-Valley, and Silicon Valley.
KB Home said its new Dixon Trail community in Escondido, Calif. is the country's first wildfire-resilient neighborhood. (KB Home)
California's top insurance regulator updates lawmakers on ongoing crisis
Lara says he plans to hold State Farm accountable and require hard data at the April 8th hearing about why a rate increase would be justified. He also told the committee he supports more mitigation efforts, plans to issue a report in the coming months of insurance rates, and expects rates to stabilize in 2026.
This story was reported from Oakland, Calif.