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Encinitas council adopts updated CAL FIRE fire‑hazard severity maps; officials warn of regulatory effects
Summary
The City of Encinitas adopted CAL FIRE’s updated fire hazard severity zone maps required by state law, a move officials said is mandatory and will trigger stricter building and defensible‑space standards for areas mapped as moderate, high and very high hazard.
The City of Encinitas on May 21 voted unanimously to adopt updated fire hazard severity zone maps produced by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), maps city officials said are required by state law and will guide building standards and vegetation management in higher‑hazard areas.
Acting Fire Marshal Jordan Villegomez told the council that CAL FIRE’s updated maps rely on recent fire‑behavior modeling — including historical fire data, vegetation and worst‑case wind and weather scenarios — and that state law (Gov. Code §51178–51179) requires local agencies to designate zones by ordinance. “We don’t get a choice,” Villegomez said during deliberations.
The nut graf: The map update expands the city areas labeled moderate, high and very high fire hazard compared…
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