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How to use Ember Index

Ember Index scores how exposed a single property is to wildfire and embers — today, and on an average day. Four steps, no jargon.

1. Type in your address

One box on the home page. Pick your address from the list. You don't need an account and it takes about 10 seconds.

2. Read your Ember Index score

You get one number from 0 to 100. Lower is safer, higher is riskier. 0-34 Low, 35-54 Moderate, 55-69 Elevated, 70-84 High, 85-100 Extreme. Part of the score is permanent (slope, fuels, hazard zone) and part changes daily (wind, dryness, nearby fires).

3. Check off what you've already done

In the Home Hardening section, tick items like a fire-rated roof, ember-resistant vents, or vegetation cleared within 5 feet. Your score updates instantly so you can see what each upgrade is worth.

4. Turn on alerts

Add your email to monitor the address. We re-score it as conditions change and email you when it crosses the level you pick. Add more than one property if you have them.

What the score is made of

Eleven factors, weighted. Roughly 60% is your property's fixed baseline — hazard zone, slope and aspect, fuels around you, ember drift potential, defensible space, fire response time, utility ignition risk. The other 40% is live conditions — wind and humidity, fuel dryness, red flag warnings, active fires and thermal detections nearby. That's why your number can move 20+ points in a day.

See the full methodology and data sources →

Common questions

Is this the same as Watch Duty?

No. Watch Duty tells you where fires are burning right now. Ember Index tells you why your specific property is at risk before a fire starts — slope, fuels, wind exposure, ember drift, response time.

Does a high score mean my house will burn?

No. It's a modeled risk estimate from public data, not a prediction and not an inspection. Use it to prioritize what to fix.

Which areas are covered?

California, statewide — that's where the parcel-level data lives (CAL FIRE hazard zones, CPUC utility fire-threat tiers, statewide station directory). Other states will be added once we have equivalent data for them. If you scan an address outside California you'll still get live weather and fire data, and we tell you plainly which layers are missing instead of guessing.

Can I share my report?

Yes — use the share button to send it to neighbors. Neighborhood-wide hardening matters more than any single house.

Is it free?

Looking up a property and reading your report is free.

Look up your address