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Council adopts Cal Fire's updated fire hazard severity zones by urgency ordinance; attorney says maps won't directly raise insurance
Summary
The City Council adopted an urgency ordinance updating fire hazard severity zone maps prepared by Cal Fire; city attorney and the fire chief said the maps are state-mandated, allow the city to increase local standards but not to reduce zones, and are not the direct basis for homeowner insurance decisions.
The City Council adopted an urgency ordinance updating fire hazard severity zones in Canyon Lake after a presentation from the city attorney explaining the state-mandated process and limited local discretion.
City Attorney Steven Graham told the council that Cal Fire uses computer models based on fuel loading, slope, wind and climate to create the maps and that the state allows only limited local input. “This map is not going to increase your insurance rates,” Graham said, adding that insurers use similar data when setting premiums but do not generally rely on these maps directly.
Graham said the ordinance needed to be adopted on an urgency basis because the council does not meet in July; the map adoption and related code alignment must be completed on a statutory schedule. Fire Chief Latendres was present to answer technical questions and the council asked about the city's ISO rating; the chief said the city's current ISO rating is a 3 and that the new maps would not materially affect that rating.
The council voted to adopt the ordinance in a roll-call vote with all members present.
Ending: Officials urged residents with insurance concerns to consult their providers and reiterated that local standards may be increased but not used to shrink state-identified hazard zones.
