As wildfire risk continues to climb across California, more homeowners are trying to get ahead of the flames, investing in prevention before disaster strikes.

For Auburn resident Gina Juarceys, the peace of mind is worth every penny.

"It's priceless to me," Juarceys said. "It's priceless to know that I can at least think about other things and know the house is going to do what it needs to do and I can take care of whatever else needs to be taken care of."

Juarceys is one of a growing number of homeowners turning to Blaze Busters, a company launched five years ago with a simple goal of stopping fire damage before it happens.

Founder and CEO Chris Duhain said he started the business after watching homes burn down, only to be rebuilt and lost again.

"Seeing homes being built, then burned, and having to rebuild them… I thought there's got to be a better way to stop this before it turns into total devastation," Duhain said.

Blaze Busters applies Core Fire Retardant, a non-toxic formula developed by two Mountain View teenagers. The product is approved by the California State Fire Marshal's Office and is Class A certified, meaning it meets the highest safety standards.

Running a business like this requires state approval, Duhain explained, and application isn't as simple as it looks.

"You have to know where it can be applied, where it's most effective, how the fire retardant works," he said. "It looks simple, but there's a lot to it."

The protection isn't cheap. The service can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the size of a home. But for Juarceys, it's an expense she makes every year.

"It's a choice that has to be made," she said. "It's like… are you going to paint a fence, or protect your house? For me, it's a necessary expense."

That decision paid off during the Caldor Fire, which burned close to Juarceys' cabin just a year after she first had Blaze Busters spray her property. She says knowing her home had that extra layer of protection made a difficult situation easier to handle.

Prevention-first methods like fire retardant treatments and defensible space are gaining more attention across California.