1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: May 20, 2025
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Danny Alvarez, Fire Chief
VIA: James Moye, Battalion Chief/Fire Marshal
BY: Paul Konzen, Fire Captain
Channing Reyes, Administrative Analyst I
SUBJECT: Introduction of an Ordinance to Amend and Restate Title 9, Chapter 1, Article 9, Section 304.1.2.1, of the Burbank Municipal Code to Establish Very High, High, and Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones in the Local Responsibility Area of the City of Burbank
RECOMMENDATION
Introduce AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK AMENDING AND RESTATING TITLE 9, CHAPTER 1, ARTICLE 9, SECTION 304.1.2.1
OF THE BURBANK MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH VERY HIGH, HIGH, AND
MODERATE FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES IN THE LOCAL RESPONSIBI LITY AREA OF THE CITY OF BURBANK (Attachment 1)
BACKGROUND
Per California Government Code § 51175-89, California Public Resources Code § 4201- 4204, and the California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 1280, the State Fire Marshal is tasked with the responsibility of designating fire hazard severity zones throughout the state. The designation process employs a consistent and well-defined set of statewide criteria, which encompasses advanced computer modeling, comprehensive vegetation data, topography, potential fire behavior, and the likelihood of ember cast.
California's fire hazard severity zones are categorized into three distinct levels: very high, high, and moderate. The State Fire Marshal publishes detailed maps that clearly delineate these zones within Local Responsibility Areas (LRAs), providing essential information for residents and stakeholders to understand the fire hazards associated with their locations.
FIRE
DEPARTMENT
2 A local jurisdiction is required to adopt and communicate any updates to these severity zones within its LRA, ensuring that the community remains informed. Moreover, local jurisdictions are responsible for enforcing all applicable regulations, including defensible space requirements and building codes related to v ery high fire hazard severity zones.
This collaborative approach between the state, local authorities, and communities is critical to enhancing preparedness and resilience against wildfires.
DISCUSSION
The Burbank Fire Department (Department) is responsible for implementing a fire hazard reduction program within the City of Burbank’s Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ), as required by California Government Code §§ 51182 and 51186. This program involves conducting annual inspections of public and private properties to ensure completion of brush clearance and maintenance of defensible space barriers. While local ordinances may enhance the requirements of the VHFHSZ, the California Government Code limits a local jurisdiction’s ability to reduce the designation of any zone made by the State Fire Marshal.
Furthermore, while previously adopted LRA maps only established a VHFHSZ, new maps released by the State Fire Marshal on March 24, 2025, now include very high, high, and moderate zones. While the new maps do not result in any inconsistencies with the City’s General Plan, t hey do change boundary designations for the VHFHSZ. Currently, the Department carries out approximately 2,850 brush inspections of private properties annually. The anticipated change will increase the number of parcel inspections to approximately 3, 100 total. Additionally, California Assembly Bill 38 (AB 38) , which became effective in July 2021, requires documentation of defensible space compliance for real estate transactions in high and very high fire hazard severity zones. Sellers must provide proof to buyers that their property meets local defensible space requirements (i.e. has passed a local brush inspection) before closing escrow. The addition of a High Fire Hazard Severity Zone to Burbank’s LRA therefore expands the number of properties subject to the requirements of AB 38 , with an estimated 1,600 to 1,800 properties now falling within this designation.
Changes to the boundaries of the fire hazard severity zones must be communicated to the public within 30 days of the local jurisdiction receiving updated maps. The City is required to formally adopt by ordinance any adjustments to the LRA maps within 120 days of receiving the latest updates from the State Fire Marshal. The Burbank Fire Department has made these changes available for viewing at fire stations and City facilities , and through the agency’s website, which includes a link to CAL FIRE’s interactive map 1 where
residents can view changes to the LRA zones and determine how their property may be
1 https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/community-wildfire-preparedness-and-mitigation/fire -hazard- severity-zones
3 impacted. The Department also conducted c ommunity outreach, which included distribution of mailers to all properties within the new boundaries of the City’s VHFHSZ notifying them of annual brush clearance requirements , a presentation to the Burbank Realtors’ Association at their monthly meeting on May 8, 2025, and a community meeting at the Fire Training Center on April 24, 2025, to discuss changes to the fire hazard severity zone map and answer questions f rom the public. In coordination with staff from Community Development’s Building and Safety Division, the Department presented an overview of the fire hazard severity zone updates to the Board of Building and Fire Code Appeals (Board) on April 28, 2025 . The Board provided feedback to staff and voted to recommended that City Council adopt the updates to the City’s LRA map.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This Ordinance is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact will directly correlate to the increased number of mandated brush inspections conducted by the Department. The Department anticipates completing 250 additional annual brush inspections within the updated boundaries of the VHFHSZ, with additional AB 38 inspections to be conducted in the newly established High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Brush inspections are completed by the Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau, which will incur costs in personnel time to complete these additional inspections as well as vario us administrative costs related to noticing requirements, program management, and inspection billing. To attempt cost recovery, the Department currently charges a fee for brush inspections as reflected in the Citywide fee schedule.
CONCLUSION
The Department is mandated by law to implement a comprehensive fire hazard reduction program within the VHFHSZ. This critical responsibility ensures that the community remains informed and safe from the increased risk of wildfires in vulnerable areas.
Existing regulations stipulate that the City of Burbank is required to formally adopt by ordinance any adjustments to the LRA maps within 120 days of receiving the latest updates from the State Fire Marshal. In addition, the newly adopted ordinances must be transmitted to the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection within 30 days of adoption. Staff recommends City Council adopt the new LRA maps as t his process supports the framework for managing fire hazards and enacting a comprehensive program to reduce wildfire risks throughout California.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Ordinance
Attachment 2 – 2025 Burbank Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map