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Council introduces ordinance adopting state’s updated fire hazard severity maps
Summary
Murrieta’s council introduced an ordinance to adopt the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s updated Local Responsibility Area maps; the new map adds moderate and high categories and increases the city’s very‑high acreage by about 7.2%. First reading passed 5–0.
Murrieta — The City Council conducted the first reading of an ordinance on May 6 to adopt updated fire hazard severity zone maps published by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Fire Chief Bernard Malloy said the updated maps, released March 24, add two categories (high and moderate) to the prior local responsibility area map and change the footprint of very‑high hazard areas. "We went up by about 7.2% in the very high fire severity map," Malloy told council, noting the state used newer fuel‑loading, topography and modeling inputs since the 2008 maps.
Under state and local rules the city may choose to make its map more restrictive but cannot remove areas the state designates. Malloy said Murrieta elected not to expand restrictions beyond the state map and recommended the council adopt the state’s updated map by ordinance.
Council members asked about public access to parcel‑level details. Staff noted the state GIS map provides parcel detail through the state portal and that the city’s web view gives a zoomable map and supplemental materials; the city’s formal public comment period ended April 30. Malloy said required building standards and defensible‑space rules for very‑high zones already exist in state and local building codes and that new construction will continue to follow higher Chapter 7A standards where applicable, which can help with insurance underwriting.
Council voted 5–0 to conduct the ordinance’s first reading and introduce it for later adoption. A public hearing and final adoption will follow the city’s notice procedures.
