Fire Hazard Severity Zone

Overview of Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) Updates

The State of California has updated its Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) to reflect the latest fire risk data. These updates impact property owners in Laguna Hills by identifying areas at increased wildfire risk. The city is committed to keeping residents informed and ensuring compliance with state fire safety regulations.

Per California Government Code 51178 the State Fire Marshal shall identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas. As part of this requirement, CAL FIRE has made recommendations for Local Responsibility Areas (“LRA”), which include incorporated cities, urban regions, agricultural lands, and portions of the desert where the local government is responsible for wildfire protection. 

Visit Cal Fire Website

Interactive Fire Map

Use CAL FIRE's interactive map to check your property’s fire hazard designation. Simply enter your address to see if your home or business is located in a Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.

Fire Hazard Map

CAL FIRE’s Office of the State Fire Marshal recently updated the state’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) Maps for Local Responsibility Areas, which includes Laguna Hills. This is the first update since 2007. The state updated these maps to more accurately reflect the zones in California that are susceptible to wildfire. 

View updated map for Laguna Hills (PDF)

How to Submit Public Comment

California Government Code 51178.5 requires each local agency to make the CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone map available for public review and comment. 

If you would like to submit public comment related to the adoption of fire hazard severity zones in the City of Laguna Hills, email FHSZupdate@lagunahillsca.gov.

What must the City of Laguna Hills do after receiving these recommendations? 

Per California Government Code 51178.5, the City must make the updated information available for public review and comment within 30 days.

Per California Government Code 51179, the City must designate, by ordinance, moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones within 120 days. While there is some flexibility to increase hazard severity zones, they are largely based on the recommendations made by CAL FIRE.

What options does the City have with changing the zone recommendations made by CAL FIRE?

• It may, at its discretion, include areas within the jurisdiction of the local agency, not identified as very high fire hazard severity zones by the State Fire Marshal, as very high fire hazard severity zones following a finding supported by substantial evidence.
• It may, at its discretion, include areas within its jurisdiction, not identified as moderate and high fire hazard severity zones by the State Fire Marshal, as moderate and high fire hazard severity zones, respectively. 
• It may not decrease the level of fire hazard severity zone as identified by the State Fire Marshal for any area within the city.  

Potential Impacts on Property Owners

The zones for several purposes, including the designation of areas where defensible space standards and ignition-resistant building construction codes are required. The specific requirements for properties depend on the zone that a property is located in.

Requirements for buildings in the very high fire hazard severity zone:

• New buildings will require a buffer of 100 feet of defensible space 
• New buildings will need to meet construction requirements for exterior wildfire exposure which includes ignition-resistant construction (Chapter 7A of the California Building Code)
• Natural Hazard Real Estate Disclosures will be required at the time of sale of property

Requirements for buildings in the high hazard fire severity zone:

• New buildings will need to meet construction requirements for exterior wildfire exposure which includes ignition-resistant construction (Chapter 7A of the California Building Code)
• Natural Hazard Real Estate Disclosures will be required at time of sale of property
• Defensible space requirements do not currently apply in the high hazard severity zone

Requirements for buildings in the moderate hazard fire severity zone:

• Currently, there are no requirements for the moderate hazard severity zone.