Lawmakers consider repealing statewide wildfire hazard map and associated rules

Senate Bill 83a would repeal the statewide wildfire hazard map and remove many statutory references tied to it, including elements of defensible‑space requirements, the wildland‑urban interface designation, certain building‑code applications, property disclosure language and program prioritization. Supporters told the House Climate, Energy and Environment Committee on May 6 that repealing the map would address public confusion and restore local trust; backers and agency staff also emphasized retaining model standards and local authority to adopt mitigation codes.

The map’s repeal was proposed after years of controversy about how the statewide model designated properties, how insurance market impacts coincided with the map’s rollout, and persistent public misunderstanding about what the map required. Senator Jeff Golden, who chairs the Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire Committee, said the map’s modeling created a perception that the state was imposing uniform on‑the‑ground requirements…