Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's U.S. Home Facing Fresh Wildfire Threat, Claims Insider: 'Deeply Unsettling'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's California home faces renewed concern over wildfires as emergency officials introduce additional protection for residents in their exclusive Montecito neighborhood, OK! can reveal.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, and Duchess of Sussex, 45, have moved to Britain with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, but are retaining their Montecito mansion.

Their California neighborhood remains vulnerable to wildfires and subsequent flooding and mudslides, prompting the Montecito Fire Department and Montecito Water District to establish two temporary firefighter housing locations during periods of elevated fire danger.

A source told us: "Wildfire is something people in Montecito have learned they cannot afford to become complacent about. Harry and Meghan may now be living in Britain, but their property remains in an area where conditions can change rapidly. The additional firefighter presence is about reducing response times if vegetation catches fire, particularly in harder-to-reach locations."

Another local source added: "The concern doesn't disappear when the traditional wildfire season ends. There is also the knock-on danger from heavy rainfall because land affected by fire can become much more susceptible to flooding and debris flows. Residents are very aware of Montecito's history and why preparations have to happen before an emergency develops."

Southern California's wildfire season traditionally begins around April or May and continues through October, although fires can occur throughout the year.

Montecito Fire Chief Brian Fallon said: "By proactively positioning firefighters at these two locations on the far ends of our district, we can greatly reduce the time it takes to arrive on scene of a vegetation fire in remote wildland areas where our fire risk is the highest."

Montecito Water District General Manager Nick Turner added: "We are pleased to collaborate on these important initiatives to increase protection for residents."

The measures come with the community also conscious of the threat posed by mudslides and flooding.

San Ysidro Creek is close to the gated community where Harry and Meghan's property is located, making the wider area's vulnerability to heavy rainfall particularly significant.

The man who built the Sussexes' California property has previously admitted that the possibility of destructive mudslides was not a major consideration during its construction.

Terry Cunningham, 67, told the Mail on Sunday: "We sure as h--- didn't think about (the mudslides) when we were building, but certainly it's something I would be thinking about now."

Montecito experienced a catastrophic mudflow in January 2018, which killed 23 people and injured 163.

The disaster followed major wildfires by approximately a month.

Fires had damaged vegetation across steep slopes and destabilized soil, leaving the landscape significantly more vulnerable when intense rainfall arrived.

The resulting mudflows caused extensive destruction across the community, with property damage estimated at $177 million in the supplied account.

Emergency response costs reached approximately $7 million, while cleanup was estimated to have cost another $43.3 million.

The history of successive wildfire and mudslide emergencies has made preventative planning a continuing priority for local authorities responsible for protecting Montecito's residents and properties.

A source said: "Wildfire and disaster warnings have been deeply unsettling for Harry and Meghan because they are thousands of miles away in Britain while their Montecito home remains exposed to the risks that come with wildfire season. There is a sense of helplessness when you are so far from a property and community you still care enormously about. They know only too well how devastating fires and mudslides can be in that part of California. The latest precautions have brought those dangers sharply back into focus. It is extremely worrying for them, particularly because there is very little they can personally do from the U.K."