Palm Desert adopts Cal Fire’s updated fire-hazard severity zone map

The Palm Desert City Council on June 12 adopted an ordinance recognizing the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s 2025 fire hazard severity zone maps for local responsibility areas in Riverside County, bringing the city into compliance with state law.

Daniel Hurtado, public safety analyst, told the council the updated maps — released March 24, 2025 — use modern modeling of fuels, topography and weather to designate wildfire hazard as moderate, high or very high. The state requires local governments to adopt recommended local-responsibility-area maps by ordinance; the city must act within 120 days of release. Staff noted that the updated Palm Desert map contains no areas designated “very high” within the city limits but widens the extent of higher-risk areas compared with the 2008 map.

Hurtado explained state and local consequences for properties that fall into higher-designation areas. Homeowners in designated high and very-high zones must maintain defensible space (a minimum of 100 feet in many cases), use wildfire-resistant construction materials for major remodels and disclose zone status when selling property. The presenter said the maps are intended for planning and mitigation decisions; Cal Fire does not set insurance rates, although state insurance rules now encourage discounts for risk-reduction measures.

Council members asked about the change from the 2008 designation and noted the city’s map visualization tool, which allows residents to enter an address and compare the old and new maps. Staff said the county fire department is not proposing to increase severity levels beyond the state recommendation for Palm Desert.

Council discussion emphasized the public-safety rationale and the city’s ongoing work on wildfire preparedness. Mayor Harnick and councilmembers praised local Cal Fire personnel and noted the adoption will support mitigation, public education and eligibility for mitigation funding. The ordinance passed on a 5-0 vote.