By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A new residential development in El Dorado County, California, is being marketed with wildfire-resilient construction features to address growing fire risk and insurance challenges.
• The Stone Canyon community in Cameron Park incorporates fire-resistant materials and design elements aimed at reducing ignition from embers, radiant heat and direct flame contact.
• The development has received a provisional wildfire preparedness designation from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety and may improve insurability for buyers.
• Features include spaced structures, ember-blocking vents, covered gutters and noncombustible buffers around homes.
• The project reflects broader efforts in California to adapt homebuilding practices to wildfire threats as insurers tighten coverage in high-risk areas.
EL DORADO COUNTY, CA — A newly unveiled residential community in Cameron Park, California, is emphasizing wildfire safety features as homebuyers weigh fire risk and insurance availability in a region prone to wildfires.
The Stone Canyon neighborhood, developed by KB Home, incorporates fire-resistant construction methods and materials designed to reduce the chance of ignition from wind-driven embers and heat during wildfires, according to developer statements and industry sources.
Homes in the development include features such as Class A fire-rated roofs, ember- and flame-resistant vents, enclosed eaves, covered gutters and vegetation management with noncombustible buffers around structures. Most structures are spaced more than 10 feet apart to further decrease fire spread.
The community has received a provisional wildfire preparedness designation from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety; full designation is expected upon completion of construction. The designation could help homeowners in obtaining insurance in a market where coverage in high-risk areas is tightening.
Stone Canyon is planned to include approximately two dozen single-story homes, with pricing starting in the high-$700,000 range. Builders and fire safety officials say such integrated features reflect growing market demand for wildfire resilience in housing stock.