For the first time in at least 14 years, state officials will release updated fire maps for Southern California on Monday, March 24, showing where wildfires are most likely to occur within the next several decades.
With the acrid memories of January’s Palisades and Eaton fires still fresh, the new maps couldn’t be more timely.
Among other things, the maps show where fire-resistant building codes apply and where residents could be subject to annual brush inspections. Local governments can use them to guide future planning.
“I see them as an educational tool to let people know the potential hazards in an area if they were to move there or if they live there already,” said Brad Weisshaupt, Los Angeles County’s assistant fire chief. “And (it can) help inform decisions when working on their house and what they plant around their house.”
What will revised fire hazard designations tell us? And whom will they affect?
Here is an overview of what Southern Californians are likely to learn from these new maps.
Q: Who compiled these maps and what’s their purpose?
A: The state Forestry and Fire Protection Department, also known as Cal Fire, created the maps to show the probability of a wildfire occurring in a given area within the next 30-50 years.
However, the maps don’t take into account efforts by homeowners or communities to minimize the danger by clearing brush or hardening their homes. So, the maps don’t give a full picture of an area’s actual wildfire risk, Cal Fire says.
“Hopefully for homeowners, it will give them an awareness of the level of reality of the threat and the importance of hardening their homes,” said Eric Sherwin, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department. “Our goal is to find the way we can best protect our community with a united effort with the fire department and residents alike.”
Q: What areas are included in the new maps?
A: They cover areas protected by city and county fire departments in eight counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Imperial, Mono and Inyo.
Cal Fire already released fire maps for Northern and Central California in three phases since Feb. 10.
Q: When did the old fire maps come out?
A: Previous local maps were rolled out between 2007 and 2011. Those maps only showed areas designated as “very-high fire hazard severity zones.”
Last year, new maps went into effect for “state responsibility areas,” or the 31 million acres protected by Cal Fire. But this is the first update for communities protected by local firefighters.
Q: What will the new maps show?
A: The new maps will designate three levels of fire hazard: moderate, high and very-high.
The designations are based on such factors as vegetation, terrain, fire history and local weather, according to Cal Fire.
Q: What new responsibilities will homeowners face in these fire zones?
A: Property owners in the high and very-high zones must comply with new state building codes, landscaping requirements and real estate disclosure rules.
Building codes: Construction in the high and very-high fire zones must comply with Chapter 7A, which mandates that homes have fire-resistant roofs and rain gutters, have outer walls capable of withstanding heat and flames for up to an hour, have double-pane windows with tempered, shatter-proof glass and ember-resistant attic and garage vents.
Landscaping: Residents in very-high fire zones also will have to maintain “defensible space” within 100 feet of buildings, homes and adjoining decks. Trees need to be trimmed, dead or dying vegetation must be removed and flammable brush must be cleared.
The greatest degree of vegetation control and landscaping must occur within 30 feet of a home or building.
Some communities require annual brush inspections for residents in very-high fire zones.
The L.A. County Fire Department conducts more than 129,000 such inspections every spring from Malibu to the Antelope Valley. The Orange County Fire Authority conducts more than 85,000 inspections after the rainy season each year.
Homes in L.A. County not in compliance get 30 days to make improvements, then must be reinspected.
Failure to comply could result in fines of up to $500. Cities and counties can choose to clean up a property if the owner refuses, then bill the owner for the costs.
In addition, the state Board of Forestry is drafting new regulations that will require property owners in very-high fire zones to maintain ember-free zones within five feet of a structure — the so-called Zone 0. That means paving or rock must surround a home, and flammable materials like wooden gates, plants and bark mulch will be banned in that 5-foot perimeter.
Real estate transactions: Sellers must disclose to buyers when their properties are located in high and very-high fire zones. They also must present documentation showing that an inspection was done within six months and that the property complies with defensible space requirements.
Q: Are wildfire hazard zones likely to increase or decrease?
A: Statewide, the number of acres in high and very-high zones — which are subject to stricter building codes and real estate disclosure rules — will total 1.4 million, up from roughly 800,000 in the older maps.
Q: Will my insurance go up if my home is part of a newly designated fire zone?
A: Unlikely. Insurers typically use their own maps that include updated fire risk data — such as current fire-resistant building materials and landscaping, according to Cal Fire’s website.
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