California Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps

Click this link for interactive California Fire Hazard Severity Zone mapping website

Hazard Severity Zone Map Lake Tahoe Basin
Photo: Screenshot of California Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map
Center for Fire Research and Outreach
Berkley Fire Center:http://firecenter.berkeley.edu

Proposed Fire Hazard Severity Zones

California Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps: PRC 4201-4204

PRC 4201-4204 direct the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to map fire hazard within State Responsibility Areas (SRA), based on relevant factors such as fuels, terrain, and weather. These statutes were passed after significant wildland-urban interface fires; consequently these hazards are described according to their potential for causing ignitions to buildings. These zones, referred to as Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ), provide the basis for application of various mitigation strategies to reduce risks to buildings associated with wildland fires. Specifically, the zone determines the requirements for unique building codes designed to reduce the ignition potential to buildings.

These maps have been created by CAL FIRE's Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) using data and models describing development patterns, potential fuels over a 30-50 year time horizon, terrain, and expected burn probabilities to quantify the likelihood and nature of vegetation fire exposure to new construction. Details on the project and specific modeling methodology can be found at http://frap.cdf.ca.gov/projects/hazard/fhz.html.

Questions about the map can be directed to David Sapsis at 916.445.5369, dave.sapsis@fire.ca.gov.