The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal FIRE) has granted stakeholders an additional 60 days to comment on the state’s draft Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map for rural, unincorporated areas (State Responsibility Area).
The move was made in response to a request for more time and clarity from the League of California Cities and others. The public comment period now totals 110 days and closes on April 4, 2023. Information about how to submit public comment is available on Cal FIRE’s website. Cal FIRE also released new information about the data input relied upon for the maps.
Based on the available data, it appears that there may be some discrepancies around local fire mitigation efforts, such as brush clearance, in the draft maps. Ignoring decades of meaningful data could result in costly inaccuracies and discourage collaboration between local governments and Cal FIRE on this critical resource.
The Konocti Fire Safe Council, Cal Cities and other concerned groups will continue to advocate for the use of local data and collaboration between all stakeholders. More information and educational opportunities about the maps will be shared as they become available.