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KB Home, one of the largest U.S. homebuilders, is breaking new ground with Southern California’s first wildfire-resilient new-home community, the company announced Thursday. The community is a game changer for homebuyers seeking safety in fire-prone areas.
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The new Dixon Trail community in Escondido is being developed in collaboration with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), a nonprofit research organization focused on disaster resilience. The goal is to create a neighborhood that helps prevent wildfire ignition and spread at both home and neighborhood levels.
Roy Wright | IBHS CEO
“As we look at the growing wildfire threat, there will be ignitions and there will be spread,” IBHS CEO Roy Wright said in an interview. “We want to limit the pathway. We want to ensure that when it comes down out of the foothills, we’re not likely to see the first structures even ignite. What we see in Escondido at the Dixon Trail is what we need to see replicated across the West.”
The urgency for wildfire-resistant housing has never been clearer. In January 2025, wildfires tore through Los Angeles, destroying more than 18,000 structures across Pacific Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and other communities. With an estimated $50 million in damages, the region is still recovering, making prevention efforts like Dixon Trail even more critical.
To mitigate fire risks, KB Home has implemented advanced wildfire-resistant features into the community, including:
- Class A fire-rated roofs.
- Noncombustible gutters.
- Zero-to-five-foot noncombustible buffer around structures.
- All-metal fence systems
Homes will also be spaced more than ten feet apart to reduce fire spread.
Dane White | Escondido Mayor
Escondido Mayor Dane White further emphasized the city’s commitment to fire safety, “When you look at what happened in the Palisades, as the leader of the city, that’s the last thing in the world that you want to see here,” White said. “For us to implement these standards and learn best practices from science and technology, it makes us the leaders right now in this area.”
Land development for the Dixon Trail project began in June 2024.
The community will ultimately feature 64 homes and undergo an IBHS evaluation upon completion to earn the official Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood designation.
The project is expected to be completed by Winter 2026.
