Redrawn CalFire Maps Show That 1 In 8 Residents Of The State Live In Top Two Fire Risk Zones

[hatrack]

One in 8Californians now live in places at risk for the kinds of devastating wildfires that tore through Los Angeles this winter, according to a Washington Post analysis of state fire maps released Monday. The maps, drawn by Cal Fire, the state’s forestry and fire protection agency, reveal the threat from wildfire is greater than previous state estimates showed. They reflect the effects of soaring temperatures on California, where hotter, drier weather has primed a landscape filled with vast acres of forest and shrubland for explosive fires — even in winter, during what should be the state’s rainy season. When factoring in areas where state and local firefighters are responsible for fighting blazes, the maps show there are now about 5.1 million people living in the two highest fire severity zones in the state, The Post found. That’s around one in 8 Californians.

The updated maps take into account California’s fire history, local weather patterns, terrain and new models showing how embers can travel miles away from a forest fire, spreading the danger into densely populated neighborhoods. They cover only cities and towns where local fire departments manage wildfire response, assigning a hazard score based on the likelihood of a future blaze, separating communities into “very high,” “high” and “moderate” zones.

EDIT

Anish Saraiya, who is directing Altadena recovery efforts for Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, said there is an obvious safety benefit to making new homes fire-resistant. Still, he said, “there is concern that the expansion of these fire maps is going to mean the rebuilding cost for many hundreds, if not thousands, of people is going to go up.” Throughout Altadena, many homeowners are finding they are underinsured, he said, meaning their policies will not cover the full cost of rebuilding. Others are wondering whether a new home would even be insurable. The question of insurability is “the elephant in the room at the moment,” Saraiya said.

Some residents and elected officials fear the updated maps could make home insurance unaffordable, or impossible to find. But Karen Collins, a vice president at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, an industry trade group, said home insurance carriers in California do not use the state’s fire hazard maps in deciding whether to renew policies or what to charge for coverage. Instead, they rely on data held by private analytics companies, which provide a more granular look at properties’ fire risk.

EDIT

https://wapo.st/4j4R8VT

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/interactive/2025/california-wildfire-risk-maps/?itid=sf_climate_climate_climate-front-top-table_p001_f001

[usonian]

1. WAPO is full of bitching and griping about money and adblockers.

Use the Source, Luke.

https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/community-wildfire-preparedness-and-mitigation/fire-hazard-severity-zones?itid=lk_inline_enhanced-template

[PufPuf23]

2. This property is located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ).

Checked map. Already knew risk classification.

CalFire area but 98% of nearby land is National Forest with a Ranger District Office about two miles away, closest CalFire is over an hours drive.

Have been in wildfire smoke the last 5 Summers, in 2023 had sprinklers and hose lays around my home and crews from as far away as FLA and NC parked across the road at foot of driveway and in evacuation warning for nearly two months. Interesting exercise to pack your vehicle with what to save.

No longer have fire insurance as cannot afford. Ill, old and broke as well. Cripes.