On November 1st, local jurisdictions should have
received a letter electronically from the Office of the State
Fire Marshal (OFM) triggering the Local Responsibility Area
(LRA) Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) map process.
The OFM have begun outreach and education to local agencies to
initiate LRA map development. To aid in the rollout, CalFIRE
developed a website designed specifically for local agencies as
they navigate this legislatively prescribed update to the FHSZ
areas. The local government portal includes a range of resources
designed to assist you throughout the entire process. This
includes official guidelines, data-driven insights, and
step-by-step instructions, all aimed at ensuring you are
well-informed and prepared. The website is intended only for
local government use.
The site serves as a dedicated tool for local governments to meet
Government Code 51178, which requires the OFM to identify areas
in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard
severity zones based on consistent statewide criteria and
prescribes specific actions for local agencies to adopt their
local fire maps. Within the website, local agencies can expect to
find model ordinances, fact sheets, maps, and required actions.
The process is expected to conclude by mid-2025 with adoption of
maps by local agencies required by May 2025.
A good starting point for those unfamiliar with the process
is to read the
Frequently Asked Questions, provided by CalFIRE. CSAC staff
will continue to work with the Office of the State Fire Marshall
and CalFIRE throughout this process to address any concerns
counties are facing. For more information, please contact
Catherine Freeman, Senior Legislative Advocate at cfreeman@counties.org or Amber
Garcia Rossow, Legislative Analyst at arossow@counties.org.
