Wildfire guide

How do you check the CAL FIRE hazard zone for a specific California property?

Resolve the parcel, open CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for that location, note Moderate/High/Very High (and SRA vs LRA context), then pair with insurance, access, and defensible-space diligence.

Updated 2026-08-29

Useful sources for searching: Official sources to verify buildability ↓

Property-level CAL FIRE walkthrough

Confirm address or APN and the parcel polygon.

Open official CAL FIRE FHSZ maps for that point—not a countywide average.

Note severity class and whether you are in State Responsibility Area (SRA) vs local responsibility context.

Severity is not a prediction

“Very High” is a mapped hazard class for standards and planning—not a forecast that a specific house will burn. Still treat it as a hard diligence flag. See CAL FIRE FHSZ for buyers.

Screen the lot in Parcel View

Run the APN or address on Screen for wildfire-related public layers and source links, then verify on CAL FIRE’s official map before marketing or offering.

People also ask

How do I look up CAL FIRE for my address?

Use the official CAL FIRE FHSZ viewer for the structure location, or screen the APN in Parcel View first and follow the source link to confirm.

Does Very High mean I cannot build?

Not automatically. It usually means stricter fire standards, defensible space, and harder insurance—not an automatic ban. Confirm with local building/fire and your insurer.

Is WUI the same as FHSZ?

Related but not identical. Wildland–urban interface describes settlement pattern; FHSZ is the mapped severity product. Screen both concepts in diligence conversations.

Official sources

Last verified 2026-08-29. Re-check agency maps before decisions — vintages change.

Related

Screen this on a California parcel

Parcel View checks official public GIS for zoning, flood, fire, soils, and planning — every finding linked to the source.