Updates to CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map

Fire Severity Zones Map

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) recently release updates to their fire hazard severity zones. This California interactive map shows fire behavior severity in the next 30 -50 years. The last version was published in 2007 (that is 15 years ago now). Note that this map is not an indicator of wildfire risk as it relates to insurance. Note that this is a proposed version and smal changes may still be made.

As you can see in the images of Marin the map has a slider (click on the button in the top left of web page to control it). To the right of the slider is the 2007 version and to the left is the 2022 version of the map.

To view the map: click here!

What was updated in Marin?

With the update we see a significant increase in the fire severity indicated in Marin. Previously it had the largest portion designated as Moderate (yellow) but a decreases in moderate and increase in the High (orange) and Very High (red). With the recent fire history in 2017, it is not too much of a surprise that this reassessment of fire behavior shows an increase in severity.

"For the first time, more than half of the rural and unincorporated areas in Marin County could soon be classified as “high” fire hazard severity zones, according to a proposed map from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection" (Adrian Rodriguez, Marin IJ).

For more details read this article in the Marin Independent Journal.

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