CAL FIRE updates the Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map

The public comment period has been extended until April 4 for the final 2022 CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map. This map shows the fire hazard severity for all properties in the state for which the agency has primary fire prevention/suppression responsibility.

That includes all land that is not federal (such as National Forest land), and all land that is not already in a Local Responsibility Area (LRA). The City of South Lake Tahoe is the only LRA in the Lake Tahoe basin.

LRA’s located in the basin and others across the state will be mapped separately by CAL FIRE as gray areas on the map while federal land will be marked separately on the map in green. The maps are developed using a science-based and field-tested model that assigns a hazard score based on the factors that influence fire likelihood and fire behavior. Many factors are considered such as fire history, existing and potential fuel (natural vegetation), predicted flame length, blowing embers, terrain, and typical fire weather for the area. All property across the state is designated in one of three hazard severity zones - moderate, high, or very high. There is no “low” or “no hazard” designation.

Find out what zone your home is in by going HERE.

What do the designations mean to residents?

One of the main purposes of the designations is to drive local planning decisions and to simply alert folks in California about the importance of wildfire mitigation. To view maps and enter your address to see the fire hazard zone your neighborhood resides within (it will be very high or unmapped for those in the Lake Tahoe Region), follow this link which will direct you to the California Office of the State Fire Marshal webpage. For more El Dorado County-specific information and questions, visit El Dorado County FHSZ map webpage.