Wealthy Americans Are Now Paying for Their Own Personal Fire Hydrants

When red flag alerts went into effect in Malibu, Calif., and the power to his home was cut off, Kevin R. Rosenbloom laid out his cotton flame-resistant clothing, fire boots, respirator, leather gloves and face mask.

Then he hooked up two 100-foot fire hoses to the personal fire hydrant he had installed in his front yard.

“It felt great because I knew I was ready,” says Rosenbloom, 44, who owns a health-software business. He isn’t a professional firefighter, but he has had some training. His house is on a lot where another house had burned down previously, yet he had no qualms about buying and renovating his home for $3.2 million four years ago because he says natural disasters can occur anywhere—and he’s prepared.

The latest sought-after home amenity? Personal fire hydrants. The logic is that when there’s a major disaster there may not be enough fire engines to protect every house in an area. If homeowners have their own hydrant ready to go—along with hoses, nozzles and adapters—and are trained to use it all, that could help reduce the number of homes destroyed.

Real-estate agents say mentioning a personal fire hydrant in the marketing materials now helps sell homes. “People notice it. It’s definitely a plus,” says Stephen Kotsenburg of Christie’s International Real Estate, who has the listing for a four-bedroom, three-bathroom, 3,388-square-foot home in Park City, Utah. It’s on the market for $2.1 million and advertises a fire hydrant, which is painted bright red and is visible as you come up the driveway.

Victoria Waldorf is the listing agent for a five-bedroom, three-bathroom, 4,691-square-foot house that is for sale for $1.775 million in Agua Dulce, Calif. She says she points out the personal fire hydrant to everyone who comes through for a viewing. “There’s relief in peoples’ faces,” she says.

Wildfires are an increasing threat, and the higher risk has driven up homeowners’ insurance costs in many places. Fires in the U.S. during the 2000s have been four times bigger, three times more frequent and far more widespread than in the previous two decades, according to researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Nine of the 10 biggest wildfires in California history erupted in the past decade. There has been a 250% increase in how fast the fires are moving in the West and a 400% increase in California over the past couple of decades, says Jennifer Balch, director of the environmental data science innovation & inclusion lab at UC Boulder.

Owning a private fire hydrant is legal. Homeowners can either connect to a private water tank or get permission from the local water company to tap in to municipal water. Hooking up to municipal water can cost thousands of dollars, and homeowners must adhere to best practices set by the National Fire Protection Association. The rules specify everything from what valves to use to how many inches the water main should be, says Robin Zevotek, a principal engineer at the NFPA.

Personal hydrants are part of a wider trend of homeowners taking wildfire prevention into their own hands. They’re putting in elaborate sprinkler systems, eliminating wood on the exteriors, clearing combustible landscaping and fireproofing roofs.

There’s also growing demand for portable fire pumps that pull from bodies of water like swimming pools, according to a report by market research firm Arizton Advisory & Intelligence. That market is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 3.76% between 2024 and 2032. The global fire hose market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 6.85% from 2022 to 2028, while the fire nozzle market alone is estimated at 5.68% growth during that period in North America, according to Arizton.

Having a fire hydrant on the property can help an insurance company look more favorably at coverage options and prices, says Janet Ruiz, the director for strategic communication for the Insurance Information Institute. But while sprinklers, pumps and hydrants can help a homeowner reduce premiums, those rates are also determined by a community’s overall fire safety rating, which factors in things like the water supply. In California, homes in many areas at high risk of wildfires are unable to get traditional homeowners insurance, says Ruiz.

A “dedicated” personal fire hydrant is highlighted in the marketing materials for a 6,833-square-foot, six-bedroom, eight-bathroom house called Anacapa, located in the Trancas development in Malibu, that’s set to go on sale Feb. 1 for $25 million. The hydrant comes with hoses and nozzles, so it’s ready to go.

“When you drive up to the house, the first thing you’ll see is the ocean view. Then you’ll see the hydrant,” says the property’s owner, Dustin Khaleghi, founder of DK Development.

It is located on the driveway and painted red. The hydrant itself cost about $15,000, but the whole system, which included permitting, design, a concrete foundation for the tank and a retaining wall, brought the project to about $150,000, he says.

The hydrant draws from a private 7,500-gallon water tank, which is fed by a well that also supplies water for irrigation and roof and interior sprinklers. Khaleghi says that while the water for the house will come from the municipal water system and have a meter, he chose to hook the hydrant up to the private tank because otherwise it would have required a steel pipe that cost around $75,000, and he didn’t want to have to open up the gated property for public access. “There’s value in having it used by only that property owner,” he says.

Michael Owens, a developer who owns Adroit Custom Homes, is also highlighting the personal fire hydrant in the listing for a five-bedroom, eight-bathroom, 10,500-square-foot house called High Knoll Estate that he built in Westlake Village, Calif., and is selling for $14.995 million. The hydrant is listed alongside features such as Zen fountains, alabaster onyx light fixtures and an indoor/outdoor walk-in wet bar. The yellow hydrant is front and center in the front driveway.

“I certainly didn’t try to hide it,” says Owens. “It’s a selling point. It mitigates fear.” The fire hydrant cost about $20,000, a typical expense for a setup that needs extensive excavation and pipes. But since it is connected to municipal water, he had to pay a one-time fee of around $35,000 to the local water company and coordinate with the fire department to make sure it met all the regulations.

Aaron Ramirez, the owner of a contracting company called AR Pipeline in Thousand Oaks, Calif., which has installed personal fire hydrants, hasn’t seen the need to put in his own hydrant because there’s one right in front of his house. But he did buy a nozzle, hose and an adapter for about $400 so he can tap in to it if needed.

He recommends that everyone buy such equipment and know how to connect to the closest hydrant. “If I see flames and I don’t hear sirens, I’m hooking that up as quickly as possible,” he says. While he says he’d probably be arrested for using the hydrant to wash his street, he doesn’t think anyone would fault him for trying to save his house.

Firefighters urge caution and planning for homeowners who want to install a private hydrant. Rick Balentine, the chief of the fire department in fire-prone Aspen, Colo., says it’s important to communicate with neighbors and the local fire department so everyone knows the location of the hydrant’s water supply and the demands on the system. And if there’s an evacuation order, he says homeowners should leave because they could put added risk on first responders, whose priority is to save lives.

Greg Anderson, chief of fire engineering and investigations for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, says private hydrants should be available for fire department use. “We do not recommend homeowners to stay behind and fight the fire,” Anderson says. “It is most important to save your life and evacuate when requested to do so. Homes and items can be replaced.”

Matt Haines, who is a home builder and not a fire official, became a local hero during the Corral Fire of 2007, which destroyed dozens of homes. With help from neighbors, he used a decommissioned fire engine he bought at a surplus public auction to save homes in Malibu. He is now a “Call Fire Fighter,” with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, along with several other neighbors, which means he is trained and can perform firefighting duties when needed.

Haines has since developed what he calls the “Hainy Hydrant”—a riser, pipe and gated valve to attach to a one-inch fire hose for increased water pressure and water flow. Haines says about 40 homeowners have installed the private hydrants, which cost about $2,500 to install, including all the necessary hoses and equipment. The Hainy Hydrants are painted red and have “fire hydrant” signs to make them easy for first responders to find. “Everyone is excited. We’ve developed a very effective system to enhance our fire preparedness within our community,” he says.

Charlie Case, 70, who retired after a career in industrial sales, has helped put in about six Hainy Hydrants in the Corral Canyon neighborhood where he lives in Malibu. Just because you put in a hydrant doesn’t mean you have to stay if there’s a fire, he says: Leaving the equipment ready to go for someone who is trained can be a big help. Case and about 40 of his neighbors make up what he calls the Corral Canyon fire brigade—a group that has received extensive training from local firefighters.

Rosenbloom, the health software business owner, had a Hainy Hydrant installed four years ago at his 2,316-square-foot home. A house previously burned down on his lot, but he says it’s worth the risk and preparation for Malibu benefits like views of the Pacific Ocean.Adam Amengual for WSJ

Rosenbloom, the health software business owner, had a Hainy Hydrant installed four years ago at his four-bedroom, 2,316-square-foot home in Malibu. He has two 100-foot hoses and two 50-foot hoses, which he envisions using from his roof, two at a time if there’s a fire. He has participated in some training exercises and plans to take part in the next “call” firefighter training program.

The preparation is worth the trade-off to live in Malibu, he says. Even in Chicago, where he grew up, there are risks of floods and tornadoes. The best approach is to be educated about the risks and impacts of natural disasters and to be prepared, he says. “Here we have views of the Pacific Ocean and hiking and bike trails right outside our front door,” he says.

If there’s a fire, Rosenbloom’s wife and their 2-year-old will evacuate and he will stay behind and try to save his home. He says his wife is proud of him for his plan. “Staying prepared brings me a sense of satisfaction and control. Something about it taps into a deeper feeling—almost like it makes me feel like a kid again,” he says.