Start by naming the question the assessment should answer
“Wildfire risk assessment” can describe very different work. A national or state map may compare communities. A home assessment may examine the structure and its immediate surroundings. A forestry review may address vegetation condition and management. WTG’s review answers a narrower service question: where planned ground application of Komodo may fit on suitable vegetation and ground fuels.
Ask what area, assets, hazards and decisions the assessment covers before relying on a score, map or report. A useful result also says what is outside its scope. No assessment predicts the exact path of a future fire or guarantees that a property will survive.
Use community risk maps at their intended scale
The USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Risk to Communities project uses nationally consistent information to help communities understand and compare risk. Its official FAQ says the data are not locally calibrated or fine-scale and are not designed for individual-home decisions. The project also states that its data are not predictive and do not reflect current fire danger or future climate projections. Read the current data limitations.
Use a regional map to learn the terms, understand community context and identify questions for local planning. Do not turn a community color or percentile into a parcel diagnosis, treatment boundary, insurance conclusion or promise about one structure.
A whole-home assessment must consider the building and its surroundings
Colorado State Forest Service describes the home ignition zone as the structure and the area around it. Its guidance identifies the structure’s ignitability and the quality of surrounding defensible space as the two primary determinants of a home’s ability to survive wildfire. NIST separately documents structure-specific ember vulnerabilities and recommends addressing the vulnerabilities unique to each structure.
A qualified home-level assessment may therefore identify building, maintenance and vegetation actions that belong to different providers. WTG does not inspect or certify roofs, vents, siding, decks, windows or code compliance. Review CSFS home and property guidance and NIST’s ember guidance.
Understand what WTG reviews
WTG reviews the property information needed to determine whether a professional vegetation-pretreatment proposal is appropriate. The review connects the owner’s priorities to recognizable proposed treatment units and the practical conditions needed for application. It is not a separate formal risk-rating or certification service.
The process may begin with maps and photographs, but some questions require more information or an on-site review. Suitability and service availability are confirmed before work is scheduled.
- Priority structures, operating areas or community assets
- Vegetation and ground fuels the owner wants considered
- Ownership, authority and proposed treatment boundaries
- Equipment access, slopes and working conditions
- Ponds, streams, wells, irrigation and drainage features
- Pets, livestock, feed, gardens and other site uses
- Mowing, pruning, removal, construction or landscaping already planned
Know what a WTG review does not conclude
WTG’s treatment review does not assign a universal wildfire-risk score, model fire behavior, certify a home, determine code compliance or replace advice from a fire authority, forester, building professional or other qualified assessor. It does not establish grant eligibility, insurance eligibility or an insurance-rate outcome.
The review also does not declare a road safe, create an evacuation plan or provide emergency response. Follow current public warnings and evacuation instructions during an incident. A proposed or completed application is never a reason to remain when authorities direct people to leave.
Prepare enough information to make the first review useful
Begin with the property address, property type, priority structures or areas, and the question you want answered. Add current photographs, a simple map and existing reports when available. Identify planned vegetation work, construction or irrigation changes so the proposed application is based on what is expected to remain.
Do not send gate codes, financial records, identity documents or unnecessary photographs of occupants through the general inquiry. Access and security arrangements can be discussed directly if a later site visit is needed. Learn what to expect from the WTG property conversation.
Separate present observations from future conditions
An assessment or treatment review describes conditions observed at a particular time. New growth, landscaping, mowing, irrigation, construction, storm damage and neighboring work can change the setting. A map, photograph or report should keep its observation date and scope attached so it is not mistaken for a permanent conclusion.
Ask who should report changes and when a new review is warranted. WTG does not promise a fixed protection duration or assume that every property needs work on the same calendar. Product instructions, weather exposure, site use, disturbance and vegetation change inform later inspection and any reapplication decision.
Expect a proposal—not an unsupported risk label
If the review shows a suitable operating fit, the next useful document is a clear proposal. It should identify the product and intended use, proposed treatment units, exclusions, preparation, access, price, schedule assumptions, documentation and any optional phases. The September 15, 2025 U.S. Forest Service list qualifies Komodo only for the specified pretreatment and ground-application conditions; it does not certify the property or promise an outcome.
A proposal can support a practical decision without claiming that one service resolves every wildfire vulnerability. Compare wildfire treatment proposals by scope.
Request a treatment-suitability review
Send WTG the address, property type, priority buildings or areas and a short description of what concerns you. Include an existing assessment or map if it helps explain the property, and note planned vegetation work or access constraints. You do not need a finished treatment map or exact square-foot total to begin.
Request a property-specific review and quote. WTG will confirm service availability, review the proposed vegetation scope and explain whether more information or a site visit is needed before a project is scheduled.
Questions about this service
Is a wildfire risk map the same as a property assessment?
No. Community and regional maps are useful at their stated scale, but Wildfire Risk to Communities says its national data are not designed for individual-home decisions. A property review considers local conditions and a defined purpose.
Does WTG provide a formal wildfire-risk score or certification?
No. WTG reviews whether planned Komodo ground application may fit on suitable vegetation and fuels. It does not issue a formal risk score, home certification, code finding or insurance certification.
Will WTG inspect the roof, vents or other building components?
No. Building-condition and structure-hardening assessments belong with an appropriately qualified professional or official program. WTG may use an existing report to coordinate its own vegetation scope.
Can WTG use an assessment I already have?
Yes. Share the report’s date, author, purpose and relevant findings. WTG uses it as context without assuming it authorizes treatment or adopting conclusions outside WTG’s service.
Can the review be completed from photos and maps?
Sometimes they are enough for an initial discussion. Site conditions, access, boundaries or sensitive features may require more information or an on-site review before suitability and scope are confirmed.
Does a WTG review affect my insurance?
WTG does not promise eligibility, premium changes, coverage or another insurance outcome. Ask the insurer what documentation it accepts and what decisions it makes from that information.
Does an assessment guarantee the property will survive wildfire?
No. An assessment identifies conditions and possible actions within its scope; it cannot predict the exact event or guarantee property survival.
What should I send first?
Send the address, property type, priority buildings or areas and your main concern. Current photos, a simple map and existing assessments are helpful when available but are not required to start.