Carmel Views has been a FIREWISE COMMUNITY since 2021, when we were one of the first few communities in Monterey County to become recognized. To see our official certificate of Firewise recognition click here. A quick one-page overview of Carmel View’s Firewise program is provided here.

This recognition by the National Firewise USA® Program identifies Carmel Views as a community that is working hard to reduce wildfire risks. It also provides access to discounted homeowner’s insurance rates from certain companies and sends a signal to firefighters that our community will be more defensible during wildfire events.

The Carmel Views Firewise Action Plan explains the activities we plan to implement over the next three years (2025 through 2027) that will encourage homeowner efforts to reduce wildfire risks to their homes and properties and will advance our HOA’s efforts to manage fuels in the common areas and improve emergency evacuation options.

Maintaining Carmel Views’ “good standing” status as a Firewise Community depends on our community making meaningful progress towards implementing the Action Plan and reporting on this progress annually. Everyone in Carmel Views can help by reading our quarterly email newsletter (called “Fire Preparedness Updates”), by taking action to harden their homes and improve defensible space on their properties, and by keeping track of their annual investments of time and money to reduce wildfire risks.

Each October, Carmel Views homeowners will be asked to report their total household investment of time and money. Here is a simple form homeowners can use to track this information. (Note that the total investment for our community will be reported to Firewise. No individual homeowner information will be shared or reported in this process.)

Carmel Views homeowners who have questions about Firewise can visit the National Program website here or they can contact the current Carmel Views Firewise Lead, Liz Chornesky, at CarmelViewsFirewise@gmail.com.

FIREWISE NEWSLETTERS

Liz Chornesky has published a quarterly Firewise newsletter, called a Fire Preparedness Update, since February 2021. They contain a wealth of information about protecting your home from wildfires. Here are the newsletters.

Newsletter #23 – January 26, 2026
• Firewise renewal
• Firewise lead needed
• Chipper days
Newsletter #23

Newsletter #22 – September 21, 2025
• Firewise renewal
• County wildfire alerts and tracking
• Genista eradication campaign
• Chipper days
Newsletter #22

Newsletter #21 – May 9, 2025
• Public meetings on wildfire preparedness
• Ember free zone
• Firesafe landscaping
Newsletter #21

Newsletter #20 – February 22, 2025
• Cal Fire’s online information
• Firewise preparedness video
• Chipper days
• Volunteer for Firewise
Newsletter #20

Newsletter #19 – October 20, 2024
• Firewise renewal
• Materials for house exteriors
• Chipper days
• Third anniversary of Carmel Views Firewise
Newsletter #19

Newsletter #18 – August 11, 2024
• Volunteer for Firewise
• Materials for house exteriors
• Chipper days
• State insurance commissioner
Newsletter #18

Newsletter #17 – May 25, 2024
• Soffit vent retrofits
• Evacuation planning
• Chipper days
• Victor Lourenco
Newsletter #17

Newsletter #16 – February 24, 2024
• New rules for chipper days
• Required disclosures for home sales
• Firewise risk assessment survey
Newsletter #16

Newsletter #15 – January 12, 2024
• Required disclosures for home sales
• Firewise renewal
• Firewise risk assessment survey
• Maintaining fuel breaks
• Chipper days
Newsletter #15

Newsletter #14 – October 12, 2023
• Firewise renewal
• Chipper days
• Homeowner’s insurance
• Grant funding
Newsletter #14

Newsletter #13 – September 3, 2023
• Genista eradication campaign
• Chipper days
• Firewise renewal
• Grant funding
Newsletter #13

Newsletter #12 – May 29, 2023
• Insurance cancellation
• Genista eradication campaign
• Chipper days
• Carmel Valley fuel break project
Newsletter #12

Newsletter #11 – April 17, 2023
• Genista eradication campaign
Newsletter #11

Newsletter #10 – February 26, 2023
• Fire inspections
• Chipper days
• Home insurance
• Genista eradication campaign
Newsletter #10

Newsletter #9 – October 24, 2022
• Firewise status
• Chipper days
• Defensible space requirements
• Presentation at annual meeting
Newsletter #9

Newsletter #8 – August 31, 2022
• Fuel breaks on private property
• Chipper days
• Wildfire safety and prepare fair
• Fire breaks and emergency egress
Newsletter #8

Newsletter #7 – June 10, 2022
• Wildfire safety and prepare fair
• Support wildlife
• Prepare for wildfire emergencies
• Chipper days
Newsletter #7

Newsletter #6 – March 28, 2022
• Landscaping tips
• Ember-resistant zone
• Chipper and genista-pickup days
• Reduced homeowner’s insurance
Newsletter #6

Newsletter #5 – October 21, 2021
• Firewise recognition
• Firewise demonstration event
• Chipper days
Newsletter #5

Newsletter #4 – September 4, 2021
• Chipper days
• Ember-resistant zone
• Firewise progress
• Evacuation egress
Newsletter #4

Newsletter #3 – June 10, 2021
• Firewise action plan
• Local ordinance and state law
• Genista removal
• Defensible space boot camp
Newsletter #3

Newsletter #2 – March 14, 2021
• Wildfire webinar series
• Wildfire home retrofit guide
Newsletter #2

Newsletter #1 – February 18, 2021
• Becoming a Firewise community
• Chipper days
• Stamp out genista
Newsletter #1