Orange County Fire Authority urges San Clemente homeowners to prepare as new fire‑severity maps arrive

The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) told the San Clemente Public Safety Committee on March 25 that homeowners in mapped high and very‑high fire severity zones should act now to create defensible space and harden houses against ember intrusion.

“I'm the community wildfire mitigation inspector assigned to the city of San Clemente,” OCFA inspector David Mabbit said, introducing OCFA’s Ready, Set, Go program and the agency’s annual inspection and outreach work in the city.

OCFA said it conducts about 2,500 annual vegetation inspections in San Clemente in areas mapped as high or very high fire severity, inspects multifamily and other required occupancies, and offers free educational home assessments residents can request online. The inspectors described a compliance timeline: an initial notice, a first re‑inspection after 30 days, a second notice, and a final inspection at 60 days; persistent noncompliance may be referred to city code enforcement and, ultimately, the district attorney.

Why it matters: OCFA said new Cal Fire hazard severity maps released to local agencies will expand the number of properties designated very high, which triggers inspection and building‑standard implications for owners. OCFA emphasized that the maps identify hazard, not development policy, and that homeowners in the red zones have a “very high probability” of wildfire involvement in the next 50 years and therefore need defensible space.

OCFA also summarized state actions that could affect homeowners. Staff cited a state law requiring a defensible‑space inspection prior to close of escrow in some mapped zones (effective 07/01/2021) and discussed incoming regulations tied to Assembly Bill 3074: new requirements will call for a noncombustible immediate zone (0–5 feet) around new structures in very high severity areas, and a governor’s executive order directed draft regulations and a rule‑making timeline. OCFA staff said the bill will likely take effect next year and includes a three‑year period for homeowners to comply once enforced.

The presentation covered the Ready, Set, Go framework: “ready” items such as fuel modification plans, defensible space and home hardening; “set” actions as a fire approaches; and “go” when an evacuation order is issued. OCFA staff reviewed typical home‑hardening measures that reduce risk from embers — the agency stressed that embers, not the main flame front, often cause house ignitions.

OCFA also promoted its online public service portal for plan submittals, special‑event reviews and hazard referrals (ocfa.org), plus an online home‑assessment tool that residents can use independently or to schedule a free OCFA home visit. Staff said the current adopted hazard maps are already available on OCFA’s site with an address lookup; the newer Cal Fire maps recently released to agencies are still being processed and will be posted with a transparency slider so property owners can see how their address is affected.

What OCFA will do next: staff said they will continue outreach and inspections, work with HOAs and homeowners, and implement public education around AB 3074 enforcement. They also said they will coordinate with the city on properties owned by the city that intersect defensible‑space responsibilities.

—Votes at the meeting: committee members approved the minutes from the prior meeting by voice vote (consensus) and later moved to adjourn (see actions list).