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Santa Cruz adopts state wildfire hazard maps; most city falls in ‘moderate’ zone
Summary
Council adopted state‑mapped fire hazard severity zones for local responsibility areas, which places most of the city in the ‘moderate’ category; state mapping triggers specified building, defensible‑space and disclosure rules for higher hazard zones.
The Santa Cruz City Council voted Tuesday to adopt the state’s wildfire hazard severity maps for local responsibility areas, a change mandated by state law that assigns areas into moderate, high or very high hazard levels.
Tim Shields, division chief for prevention and the city fire marshal, told the council the updated maps incorporate new modeling inputs added by the state in 2021 — burn probability, slope, proximity to urban development and localized fire weather — and that almost all of the city falls into the moderate hazard zone. He said only small pockets such as parts of Dimeo Lane and Moore Creek Preserve are mapped as high; very high hazard areas are not within the city limits.
Shields explained the legal effect of the maps: the state prescribes a set of actions for each zone, including building standards for wildland‑urban interface construction, defensible‑space vegetation rules, water and access requirements and natural hazard real estate disclosures at sale. The city’s adoption formally makes the maps enforceable for local planning and permitting.
Council members asked staff for context on surrounding jurisdictions and proximity to higher hazard areas; Shields said the CAL FIRE interactive maps cover the region and staff will post links on the city website for broader context. Council member O'Hara said the maps are one component of a larger wildfire‑preparedness strategy the council and staff are developing.
On the motion to adopt, the council voted unanimously in favor. Staff said the action is required by state law and that additional local measures — such as defensible‑space enforcement and education, and infrastructure planning — remain the city’s responsibility where applicable.
