Moraga–Orinda fire chief: new state CAL FIRE maps expand some ‘very high’ zones; questions remain on methodology

Chief Isaacs, the fire chief for the Moraga–Orinda Fire District (MOFD), told the Orinda City Council on March 4 that the long‑awaited CAL FIRE fire hazard severity zone maps have been released and that the maps include some unexpected changes for Orinda.

“This is an item that we've spoken about, in length for many years. Happy to report the maps have finally come out,” Chief Isaacs said, and he told the council the maps were released after Governor Newsom issued an executive order directing the Office of the State Fire Marshal to publish the updated maps and directing the Board of Forestry to prepare Zone 0 regulations by Dec. 31, 2025.

The newly published map expands areas designated “very high” fire hazard severity in Orinda, Chief Isaacs said; he specifically named El Toyon and portions of North Orinda and said he did not anticipate “the West Side of Orinda into Moraga going to very high down Moraga Way.” He said MOFD will post the maps on its website, accept public comment, and return to the MOFD board in April to consider adopting the 2025 maps.

“The board's plan is to have it out to the public no later than that December 31 deadline,” Chief Isaacs said about the Board of Forestry’s Zone 0 regulation process, and he added that draft regulations and public comment opportunities are expected in April and May.

Council members and residents pressed for details about how CAL FIRE decided which areas changed. Council Member Gee asked whether MOFD would wait for Board of Forestry Zone 0 regulations before adopting local action; Isaacs said the district has about 120 days under state law to adopt the maps and that it has not yet decided how to treat Zone 0 while regulations are finalized.

Residents asked how the map changes could affect insurance underwriting and whether the state would explain the modeling or data used to assign hazard categories. Isaacs said CAL FIRE has not published the underlying model details and that MOFD and other local agencies have repeatedly requested clarification. “They do not tell us that,” he said of the agency’s modeling choices.

Public comment included a caution from resident Nick Warrenoff that seeking an explanation for downgraded areas could lead to residents being reclassified to higher hazard designations; another resident, Mark Evans of Fire Safe Miragorinda, urged officials to “follow the science.”

Chief Isaacs emphasized practical next steps: MOFD will post the maps and a public comment link on its website, pursue adoption by its board in April, and monitor the Board of Forestry’s Zone 0 rulemaking. He said the new Wildland‑Urban Interface Code has been extracted from the building and residential codes into a dedicated code book, and MOFD will study the code with its fire marshal to understand implications for defensible space and noncombustible construction.

Why it matters: the state’s fire hazard severity designations trigger multiple legal and planning consequences, including building construction rules, defensible‑space enforcement, real‑estate disclosures and elements of local hazard mitigation and general plan safety elements. Chief Isaacs told the council the new Zone 0 regulations will likely require new construction and phase in requirements for existing structures over a multi‑year period once the Board of Forestry issues rules.

What officials said they’ll do next: MOFD will accept public comment on its posted maps, present the maps for adoption to the MOFD board in April, and monitor the Board of Forestry’s timeline for Zone 0 regulations. Council members discussed drafting letters via state elected representatives to request more detailed explanations from CAL FIRE about the map methodology.

The presentation and council discussion were informational; no formal council action was taken on the maps during the March 4 meeting.