2026 State Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone Public Comment Period Now Open

CONTACT: Duty PIO, (916) 651-3473, [email protected]
RELEASE DATE: November 9, 2026

2026 State Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone Public Comment Period Now Open

Sacramento, CA — CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) today announced the opening of the public comment period for the regulatory adoption of the 2026 State Responsibility Area (SRA) Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ). The comment period will run from November 9, 2026, through January 8, 2027, at 5:00 PM.

The 2026 SRA FHSZ update is required because the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (BOF) recently completed its statewide five-year SRA Review, as mandated by Public Resources Code Section 4125. The review identified a small set of changes to the SRA boundary in 34 counties due to shifts in land use, population density, and jurisdictional responsibility.

When new areas are added to the SRA, or existing SRA boundaries are modified, those lands must receive a FHSZ classification based on the same statewide model used for all SRA mapping. As a result, CAL FIRE is conducting an updated FHSZ mapping process to ensure the newly designated SRA lands have an accurate and legally required hazard designation.

OSFM began updating the SRA FHSZ maps in December 2022. The updated maps were officially approved on January 31, 2024, and went into effect on April 1, 2024.

FHSZ maps arose from major destructive fires, prompting the recognition of these areas and strategies to reduce wildfire risks. California’s seasonally dry Mediterranean climate lends itself to wildfires, and in an effort to better prepare, CAL FIRE is required to classify the severity of fire hazard in areas of California.

FHSZ 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. There are three levels of hazard in the State Responsibility Areas: moderate, high, and very high.

FHSZ maps evaluate “hazard,” not “risk”. They are like flood zone maps, where lands are described in terms of the probability level of a particular area being inundated by floodwaters, and not specifically prescriptive of impacts. “Hazard” is based on the 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 wildfire, or fuel reduction efforts. “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.

How to Stay Informed and Participate

The public is encouraged to participate in the regulatory process by submitting written comments either by mail, by email at [email protected] or electronically through the webform available on the Fire Hazard Severity Zone web page.

Mailing Address:
Office of the State Fire Marshal
C/O: FHSZ Comments
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
P.O. Box 944246
Sacramento, CA 94244-2460
Attn: Rudy Baltazar, Assistant Chief

Finding Your Property’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone

To determine the Fire Hazard Severity Zone for any property, residents can use the interactive FHSZ Viewer.

Tools and Resources for the Public

For more information about Fire Hazard Severity Zones, visit the program website at osfm.fire.ca.gov/FHSZ.