More than 2 million CA acres face a “high” or “very high” fire hazard

Reflecting the increase in wild fires and updated science, new state cards set more than 2.3 million acres of local land in California as a “high” or “very high” danger of wild fires.

As a result of devastating fires in Los Angeles County, the office of the fire marshal gradually releases updated cards for local jurisdictions after governor Gavin Newsom issued to Enforcement order last week. The previous state cards were released from 2007 to 2011.

In these jurisdictions, urban or district fire services are the first to respond and apply fire safety rules. The areas designated as “tall” or “very high” would be subject to the strongest state standards for fire resistant buildings.

The dangers of fire in California have grown in part because of climate-controlled sushi and a longer, more dangerous season of fire.

“We live in a new reality of extremes. Believe in science – and your own damn eyes: Mother Nature changes the way we live and we must continue to adapt to these changes, “says Newsom in a press release announcement. “California’s resistance means that we will continue to update our standards in the most pronounced areas.”

800,000 acres of land with local responsibility were classified in 2007 as a “very high” danger, the only category used at the time. The new cards now define 1.16 million acres as “tall” and an additional 247,000 decares as “very tall” as per Press release from the governor’s officeS Fire Marshal staff said they could not judge what percentage of the total area covered until local authorities review or accept the cards.

Cards released on Monday Apply only for Internal North California – Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lake, LaSsen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba. The remaining cards will be released in the next six weeks.

In some cases, the recycling of the “very high” danger is significant. For example, in 2011 in Lake County had only five acres of unaccorpored land in this area while new list Issued on Monday identifies 10 881 acres. Yreka passed from 723 “very tall” acres to a danger to 2613 acres in the last card, and Chico grew to almost 3000 acres, compared to 117 in the previous card. The Grass Valley area doubled, while Clearlake almost tripled.

On the other hand, several areas within 16 counties, most of all, Plarterville and Redding, did better -their area in the category with the highest danger decreased significantly.

While the fire weight cards for local jurisdictions were more than a decade, a danger of 31 million acres under the responsibility of Cal Fire – almost one -third of the total area of ​​the country – were updated last yearS

In 2021 the legislature Acceptance of the Three Class of State Weight For local responsibility areas: very high, high and moderate. Previously, only the highest designation was required in local jurisdictions.

Civil servants will notify 404 cities and counties of changes in the designation through a mobile regional schedule. The designations of the North Coast and Bay region will be released on February 24, the central valley and the central coast on March 10 and South and Eastern California on March 24, according to the office of the fire marshal. Once an updated card is launched, local employees have four months to include the recommendations for the new danger assessment.

Newsom’s order has also directed the State Council of Forestry to adopt provisions requiring a five-meter Ember-resistant area around the structures in the highest fire zones.

Ember’s resistant area aims to cope with the threat of fiery brands worn by winds from igniting a home that can be kilometers from the fire. The so-called state provisions of Zone 0 are currently being developed and would apply to new and existing buildings in the highest weight zones. Newsom’s order states that the provisions are likely to be applied immediately for new construction, but will be gradual for more than three years in existing homes.

The fires have been Unusually active so far this yearWith 359 fires and nearly 58,000 acres burned, compared to an average of five years of 175 fires and 500 acres. They are also deadly: 29 people have died in fires since January.

Officials said this was not good for the rest of the year. “Here’s what it will look like 2025, unfortunately,” said Kal Joe Tyler’s fire chief as the fires in the LA area are still burning. “I need everyone to be prepared.”