Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ)
Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) & Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) Legislation Updates
On March 10, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) released updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) Maps for Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) within Santa Barbara County. It was CAL FIRE’s first update to the LRA maps since 2009. In accordance with State law, local agencies, including the Montecito Fire Protection District, must adopt and designate updated zones within 120 days.
The State Fire Marshal classifies lands as one of the FHSZ types:
- Moderate
- High
- Very High
Under State law, local agencies may not reduce the severity level of hazard zones designated by the State. However, they may raise the hazard classification or include additional areas based on local conditions.
Press Release: Fire Departments of Santa Barbara County Release Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps
Montecito Fire Protection District's Recommendation to the State
The District recommends retaining the zone designations from the 2009 FHSZ adopted map to better reflect fire hazard to the community and enforce existing defensible space, structure hardening, and structure density requirements.
Montecito Fire Protection District worked with our adjoining fire jurisdictions to ensure the maps were consistent across agency boundaries. The City of Santa Barbara is retaining the zone designations from the 2009 FHSZ map. Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District is increasing its designation from the 2009 map.
View the map below comparing the 2009 adopted map versus the 2025 map from CAL FIRE.
The State’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps are valuable tools for predicting wildfire spread through wildland vegetation based on fuels, topography, and weather. However, these models stop at the edge of communities and do not necessarily reflect what happens when wildfire transitions into the built environment, where embercast and structure-to-structure fire spread become dominant drivers of destruction.
Recent field observations from the Palisades and Eaton Fires in Los Angeles County reinforce what decades of fire history have already shown us: in dense neighborhoods, it's not the flames from the wildlands that cause the greatest loss, but the urban conflagration that follows. Embers—carried by wind—can ignite homes far beyond mapped fire perimeters. Once a few structures ignite, radiant heat and short-range ember generation can rapidly spread fire from building to building, overwhelming even fire-resistant materials when homes are tightly spaced or connected by combustible features like fences, vegetation, or decks.
In these conditions, structure separation, connective fuels, and building materials all combine to determine whether fire will continue to spread or be stopped. A recent Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) report concluded that with only 10 feet between homes, no known building material reliably survives downwind exposure. At 20 feet, fire-resistant materials start to make a difference—but that margin doesn’t exist in many neighborhoods.
Our local maps incorporate these real-world fire dynamics, going beyond vegetation modeling to highlight where fire is likely to behave more aggressively due to community density and structural vulnerability. By using fire history and known pathways of ember-driven ignition, these maps better identify areas at risk for urban conflagration and justify a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) designation.
Local Fire History & Weather Patterns
Recent fire history in our region has shown fires to burn through identified Fire Hazard Severity Zones and progress into areas previously identified as having an undesignated hazard rating.
The local fire history maps below demonstrate that when fire enters communities, the separation between structures and embers from the structures themselves can significantly influence fire behavior. Additionally, the impact of varying wind speeds, such as a 10 MPH difference, cannot be overstated.
Thomas Fire (2017) and Mountain Fire (2025)
- Thomas Fire: Sundowner winds were steady at 29 MPH with gusts up to 60 on December 16th, the day it advanced into Montecito.
- Mountain Fire: Santa Ana winds sustained at 45 MPH, with gusts up to 80.
Paint "Painted Cave" Fire (1990)
- Painted Cave Fire: Sundowner winds sustained at 35 MPH, with gusts reported up to 70 MPH.
Coyote Fire (1964), Romero Fire (1971) & Tea Fire (2008)
View the Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map
You can enter your address to locate your property on a map showing Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Due to the nature of this content, some users who require Assistive Technology may experience accessibility issues. If you experience any problems while trying to access this content, please call the hotline at (916) 633-7655 or e-mail: FHSZinformation@fire.ca.gov.
Fire Hazard Severity Zones viewer in the Local Responsibility Area (LRA).
Adoption process is in progress and first reading will be announced at a later time.
Find your zone by entering your address on CalFire's Zone Viewer
To view changes between the 2008 maps and the 2025 maps, select the link below:
What is the purpose of the Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps?
The maps assess wildfire hazard levels based on physical conditions that contribute to fire spread, helping to guide building codes, emergency planning, and fire safety regulations. Reminder: You are not at less risk just because you are in a lower hazard zone.
Do these maps impact my insurance rates?
No, the maps themselves do not determine insurance rates. However, catastrophic risk data, which includes wildfire hazard information, is often considered in fire insurance modeling. See the available FAQs on this topic: Insurance Q&A from Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara
How are hazard levels categorized?
Areas are classified into three hazard levels: moderate, high, and very high based on factors like fuel availability, topography, and historical fire weather patterns.
Where can I review the updated maps?
You can enter your address to locate your property on a map showing Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Due to the nature of this content, some users who require Assistive Technology may experience accessibility issues. If you experience any problems while trying to access this content, please call the hotline at (916) 633-7655 or e-mail: FHSZinformation@fire.ca.gov.
Adoption process is in progress and first reading will be announced at a later time.
- Find your zone by entering your address on CalFire's Zone Viewer
To view changes between the 2009 maps and the 2025 maps, select the link below:
Can the local agency decrease the severity levels identified on the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps?
No. The local agency cannot decrease the level of fire hazard severity zones as identified on the State Fire Marshal maps. Government Code 51179(b)(3). The local agency can do the following:
- Include areas within the District, Town or County 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 in the record that such designations are necessary for effective fire protection within the area. Government Code 51179(b)(1).
- Include areas within the District, Town or County, not identified as moderate and high fire hazard severity zones by the State Fire Marshal, as moderate and high fire hazard severity zones, respectively. Government Code 51179(b)(2).
- Increase the level of fire hazard severity zone as identified by the State Fire Marshal for any area within the District, Town or County. Government Code 51179(b)(3). 2
Will the Adoption of the State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps supersede the District’s Fire Code?
No. The adoption of the State Fire Marshal maps does not impact the District’s Fire Code. The adoption of the State Fire Marshal maps does not limit or restrict the authority of the District to impose more restrictive fire and public safety requirements, as otherwise authorized by law. Government Code 51175(c). The District may adopt ordinances, rules, or regulations to provide fire prevention restrictions or regulations that are necessary to meet local conditions of weather, vegetation, or other fire hazards. Such ordinances, rules, or regulations may be more restrictive than state statutes in order to meet local fire hazard conditions. Public Resources Code 4117.
How does the adoption process work?
- Make the map available for review and comment within 30 days.
- Adopt the designation via local ordinance within 120 days.
- Submit the ordinance to the state within 30 days of local adoption.
How can I provide feedback on the maps or request more information?
- Please use the form below to submit your comments.
- Community members may also send comments to info@montecitofire.com.
- Community members may also fill out hard copy comment forms. Comment forms are available at Fire Station 91, 595 San Ysidro Road.