TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Executive Office and County Counsel
MEETING DATE: May 6, 2025
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Jeff Adair
PHONE:
707-234-6321
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Charlotte Scott
PHONE:
707-234-6885
ITEM TYPE: Regular Agenda
TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: 15 Minutes
AGENDA TITLE:
title
Discussion and Possible Action Including Introduction and Waive First Reading of an Ordinance Designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones
(Sponsors: Executive Office and County Counsel)
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Introduce and waive first reading of an Ordinance designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
End
PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
None.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
By way of background, California Government Code section 51178 required CAL FIRE - Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop updated recommended Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps designating hazard scores of Moderate, High, and Very High, for local areas, which it began releasing in phases in this spring. The maps evaluate hazard (not risk), which 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. Pursuant to California Government Code section 51179, local agencies, such as the County of Mendocino and fire districts responsible for fire protection within the County have 120 days to adopt the FHSZ's by ordinance. Section 51179 does not permit local agencies to decrease the level of fire hazard identified by the State Fire Marschal for any area in its jurisdiction but may (only) increase the level of fire hazard severity zone as identified by the State Fire Marshal (or add areas not listed to the Moderate designation). Local agencies must transmit a copy of the ordinance with required documents (PDF map and GIS geodatabase) to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (BOF) within 30 days of ...
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