Sorry to hear the news. I would recommend avoiding fire-risk areas. You don't want to end up in a situation like this again--or even worse. Just not worth it. I looked at a lot of properties where I thought the fire risk could be worth it, and so many have burned since then.
I have evacuated so many times I kind of lost count. The area I am currently living, and will leave from, has no recorded burn history and fuel load is mind boggling, we're talking over 1' of dried oak leaves and branches beneath every single tree. Though I get my leaf blower out and push this all back, clearing rings around the trees and defensible space around the houses, I think it would be a futile effort to try to save the buildings if a fire tore through here. Especially if the fire started below the house, and burnt up the canyon.
Though it may be a smoking deal to buy it, if things work out, which they may still, it would be an absolutely brutal lifestyle of constantly clearing out leaves, low branches, and keeping the forest raked up. It may end up more of a literal smoking deal with some bad luck. The more I learn about the property and the guts of the houses and their legality or lack thereof, the more I think leaving this property is the right idea. Unfortunately, anywhere with a reasonable amount of land in 805 is going to be a fire risk.
Still trying to sort out a final landing place for me and my yard, both options I have are in flux and not guaranteed.
