For the first time in more than a decade, Cal Fire has released updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps—and the changes are significant for Simi Valley and Ventura County in general.

Ventura County Fire Marshal Joe Morelli presented the new data during the April 7 Simi Valley City Council meeting, noting a 68% increase in mapped hazard areas for the city, including a 14% jump in “very high” fire hazard zones. Countywide, the mapped areas more than doubled, with a 108% increase.

“These maps show quite a bit more than even we anticipated,” Morelli said.

This is the first update to Cal Fire’s maps since 2011.

Developed using computer modeling and 30 years of data—from 1991 to 2020—the maps account for fuel loads, topography, wind and fire weather. They are part of a state effort to better identify areas where wildfires are most likely to spread rapidly.

In addition to the “very high” hazard areas previously mapped, Cal Fire has, for the first time, included “high” and “moderate” zones.Residents can now search the maps by address and toggle between the 2010 and 2024 versions online.

Unlike insurance risk maps, Cal Fire’s hazard maps focus on geography and potential fire behav-ior, not individual home risk.

“We don’t know how the insurance industry will use these maps,” Morelli said. “The Insurance Commissioner has stated that insurers use different maps based on risk, not hazard.”

Still, the hazard zones come with real consequences. Under state law, local governments must adopt the maps.

In ‘very high’ fire hazard zones, residents are required to maintain 100 feet of defensible space and, prior to selling their property, implement home hardening measures such as adding ember-resistant vents and dual-paned windows, andcomplete a fire inspection.

A new state regulation is also on the horizon. In December, the State Board of Forestry is expected to finalize rules for the “zero to five-foot” zone around homes in “very high” fire hazard areas.

These rules will apply not just to new construction but to existing homes, and may prohibit combustible materials—including vegetation, wood mulch and even plastic pots— within five feet of any structure.

“As hard as it is, removing these things is one of the easiest and most effective things to do,” Morelli said.

“But it’s also one ofthe hardest emotionally because we’re attached to what’s around our homes.”

Homeowners in these zones will have three years to comply once the regulations take effect, with local fire departments enforcing the rules.

Although the Mountain Fire is not reflected in the latest maps, past fires like the 2017 Thomas Fire—which destroyed more than 1,000 structures—highlight the ongoing danger. That fire, once the largest in California history, has since been surpassed 10 times. The Palisades and Eaton fires together destroyed 16,000 structures.

VCFD is already taking extensive steps to reduce fire risk. The department conducts 19,000 defensible space inspections annually, reviews landscaping plans, uses goats for vegetation management and participates in fuel-reduction burns. In two years, the number of “Firewise” communities in the county has jumped from four to 29.

Ventura County is also one of just 50 communities statewide on the Board of Forestry’s Fire Risk Reduction Community list, which may help reduce insurance rates.

Fire authorities encourage residents to check if their home is in a hazard zone and consider joining local Fire Safe Councils, which offer anonymous home wildfire assessments and help promote safety education.

“Knowing that you’re in one of these zones and taking action to harden your home—that’s a smart thing to do,” said Councilmember Rocky Rhodes. “I know that the zero-to-five-foot zone will be emotional for people, but so is losing your home. It’s time to face that reality.”

According to state data, combining defensible space with home hardening can increase a home’s chance of surviving a wildfire by 60%.

“The more we do as individuals and communities, the more it adds up,” Morelli said. “These hardening standards really do save homes.”

To view the map and provide comment go to vcfd.org/cal-fire-fire-hazardseverity-zone-map-update/.

‘Knowing that you’re in one of these zones and taking action to harden your home—that’s a smart thing to do.’ — Rocky Rhodes, Simi Valley City Council member