In an update that could redefine community planning and safety measures, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) released new fire hazard maps late last month illustrating the expanding risk of wildfires across the state.
The newly unveiled maps extend to local responsibility areas (LRAs) within cities – territory that local governments are tasked with protecting. This inclusion marks the culmination of a project that CalFire initiated several years ago, initially focusing on State Responsibility Area (SRA) lands.
These maps, developed using sophisticated computer models, indicate how wildfires may ignite and spread, incorporating data on historical fires, weather patterns, and proximity to wildfire-prone open lands or forests.
Areas deemed a hazard of “high” or “very high” increased by 168% since 2011, totalling 3,626 square miles — an area nearly twice the size of Delaware, reports Calmatters.
“That means roughly 1-in-10 Californians are subject to an array of building code, defensible space and real estate disclosure rules, all of which could have lasting effects on how people live, communities plan and housing markets function in the state’s most flammable neighborhoods,” Calmatters states.
The City of Santa Barbara stated its proactive approach through its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) has already laid down a foundation for identifying fire hazard severity zones. The CWPP, first established in 2004 with its latest update in 2021, harmonizes with CalFire’s findings, particularly recognizing the Foothill and Extreme Foothill regions as areas of high and very high fire hazard.
“Cities like Santa Barbara must follow state rules and use the new CAL FIRE maps when making decisions about fire safety. One limitation of the LRA maps is that they are based on computerized models of fire and ember spread. They did not take into account geographic considerations such as streets and individual properties,” the City of Santa Barbara stated in a press release.
Over the next two months, the City stated its Fire Department will be working to merge CWPP maps with the new LRA maps.
“The new maps show that more areas in Santa Barbara are now considered a hazard. This includes parts of the Mesa neighborhood, especially near Cliff Drive and Flora Vista, and areas in the northern parts of San Roque and La Cumbre. New Moderate, High, and Very High-Fire zones have been created by CAL FIRE in these areas. The Fire Department will be incorporating these zones but will further align them with streets and neighborhoods,” the City stated.
CalFire’s initiative underscores the dynamic nature of wildfire risk in California, a concern that has visibly intensified over the past decade. The state’s approach, restrictive in that it allows local agencies to only expand but not decrease hazard zones, emphasizes a caution-first principle. This principle is critical in safeguarding communities but also presents a wake-up call to the state’s architectural and urban planning frameworks.
RESOURCES
MAPS:
- Existing High Fire Hazard Areas
- CalFire’s Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ)
- Proposed High Fire Hazard Areas for 2025.
For further information and to learn more about fire hazard severity zones from Cal Fire, please visit Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
For information about the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), maps, and frequently asked questions, visit Community Wildfire Protection Plan – SantaBarbaraCA.gov/CWPP.
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https://www.edhat.com/news/new-fire-maps-put-nearly-4-million-californians-in-hazardous-zones-what-does-that-mean-for-the-people-who-live-there/
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Notice how the whole northern border of the city of Goleta is red or yellow, except for one spot? That spot is where the glen annie golf course is.
The one spot on the border of Goleta that offers us a little protection from a wildfire is the spot that joan hartmann wants to build over a thousand houses.
Then just a little further south is the Battery Energy Storage System. And we all know now what Tesla batteries do in a fire.
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/263/403/541/dont-build-on-glen-annie-golf-course/?fbclid=PAY2xjawJnWaBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABpzlVK2-slY3Ml2cSsycowL4zoPLcN3BXsYVCF85wGeqV1Jefa35i8taJNLU1_aem_yKUAjFCvRn_vOLkmD0MF6w
That’s a great observation. Recipe for disaster, and gridlock. The needle on housing affordability won’t move at all either, mark my words.
Notice that the other anomaly, near Camino Meleno is basically surrounded by avocado orchard. I hope people realize what an amazing fire buffer this makes.
Also, I believe it has been established that the battery composition of the Battery Energy Storage System is different than what is found in a Tesla.
Are you not aware of the difference between the batteries at that facility and the older Tesla batteries that are far more concerning?