Suggest you google on fire resistant Australian natives.

I know many of these species are available in California.

You can also find information on how to landscape your property to increase fire resistance and resilience through accessing Australian sites. There's been a lot of work done there with this in mind.

You might also consider your water capture systems, your paving, and escape routes, the actual architecture of your home and what it's made of, plus the types of mulch you use.

Australia has had some severe bush fires in the last three years or so. The states of Victoria and New South Wales are regularly affected - and put out useful information for home gardeners as a consequence.

For reducing your grass - a weed wacker/weed eater can be very useful for steep berms and slopes. You MUST have footwear with non-slip soles, plus ear and eye protection. And a useful second pair of hands wielding a hay rake to bring the material down to the compost heap.

Long term - plant up your slope with your fire resistant species and reduce the amount of work you do.

Thanks for the advice. I called a local nursery and they told me to come by sometime to talk about native grasses. They just have really limited hours now so it will be a while before we can get in.

In the meantime, DH has applied Round-Up and Preen to the area closest to our house.