Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) & Local Responsibility Areas (LRA)

You can now view the City of San Mateo’s map by clicking here and the City of Belmont’s map by clicking here. (Foster City is not located within a FHSZ)

Update – February 24, 2025

The long-awaited LRA maps have been released.

Today, CAL FIRE released the 2nd Phase of our local Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps. 125 cities and counties along the North Coast and Bay Area received recommendations with the three levels of fire hazard.

PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THE FAQ’S found at the bottom of the page to understand what happens from here.

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Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) are geographical areas identified based on the risk of wildfires, considering factors such as vegetation, climate, and topography. These zones help determine appropriate land-use regulations and fire prevention measures.

Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) refer to regions where local agencies are primarily responsible for fire protection and emergency response, typically including urban and suburban areas.

Key Takeaways:

• FHSZ Classification: Properties are categorized as Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones based on terrain, vegetation, fire history, and climate conditions. Fire Hazard vs. Risk: The maps indicate hazard potential, not immediate risk, and do not account for mitigation efforts like defensible space or fire-resistant construction.
• Impact on Property Owners
  • Homeowners in Very High FHSZ must comply with stringent defensible space and home hardening requirements.
    • ordinance requires compliance in all zones
  • 100-foot defensible space clearance is mandatory around structures in these zones.
    • ordinance requires compliance in all zones
  • New construction and renovations in designated zones must adhere to Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building codes.
  • Property sellers must disclose FHSZ designations during real estate transactions.
    • ordinance requires compliance in all zones
• See the FAQ’s section below for more information on the Maps, Adoption process, Insurance Information, and more.

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Legislative Updates:

The recent updates to Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) in California provide a more accurate assessment of wildfire risks based on modern climate data and fire modeling. These updates affect both State Responsibility Areas (SRA) and Local Responsibility Areas (LRA), influencing fire prevention measures, building codes, and real estate disclosures.

• Senate Bill 63 (2021) now requires FHSZ classifications to include Moderate and High zones in addition to Very High, expanding fire hazard oversight.
  • California Code, GOV 51178.
  • California Code, GOV 51178.5.
• Assembly Bill 337 (1992) originally mandated the identification of Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones following devastating wildfires.
• Assembly Bill 211 (2022) requires local agencies to adopt Moderate, High, and Very High FHSZ designations within 120 days of state recommendations. However, local governments cannot downgrade hazard levels identified by the state but may increase them if justified.
  • California Code, GOV 51179.
• Executive Order
• Senate Bill 9 (SB9)
• LRA Legislation Factsheet Flipbook

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Mapping & Compliance:

• The State Fire Marshal is responsible for updating FHSZ maps, which are used to enforce fire safety standards across the state.
• Residents can check their property’s FHSZ status online at osfm.fire.ca.gov/FHSZ.
• Local jurisdictions are required to review and adopt the updated maps, ensuring communities are better prepared for wildfire threats.
• Map Adoption Schedule at a Glance (Thank you League of CA Cities)

What do the Maps Measure?

The maps show the physical conditions of landscapes, including fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and other factors (such as wind) that are major causes of wildfire spread. The maps identify fire hazard not risk and are designated in three categories: moderate, high, and very high. Catastrophic risk is used as part of the modeling efforts for fire insurance. 

Fire “hazard”: is based on physical conditions that create a likelihood and expected fire behavior over a 30 to 50-year period without considering mitigation measures such as home hardening, recent wildfires, or fuel reduction. 

Fire “risk”: is the potential damage a fire can do to the area under existing conditions, accounting for any modifications such as fuel reduction projects, defensible space, and ignition resistant building construction.

Why does this matter?

The categories designate fire hazard, which then requires specific actions and mitigation measures, including meeting California Building Code Chapter 7A, defensible space, and fire safe regulations, per each category below. These measures are preventative and intended to help disclose fire hazards. 

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