Business Item 5b
STAFF REPORT
City Council Business Item
DATE: June 16, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Shari Meads, Community Development Director
THROUGH: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance 2025-775, Adopting the Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map from the Office of the State Fire Marshal STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Hold a public hearing and introduce Ordinance 2025-775, to adopt the Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and find the Ordinance to be Exempt from CEQA.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Public Resource Code 4202 requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal (State Fire Marshal) to classify lands within state responsibility areas into fire hazard severity zones (FHSZs). Each zone embraces relatively homogeneous lands and includes fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and other relevant factors, such as where winds could significantly influence wildfire spread. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) creates FHSZ maps and publicly publishes them for city and county officials to identify their Local Responsibility Areas (LRAs).
LRAs include incorporated cities, urban regions, agricultural lands, and other areas where the local government is responsible for wildfire protection via City fire departments, fire protection districts, counties, and, sometimes, CAL FIRE on a contract basis.
FHSZ maps evaluate hazard (fire likelihood) rather than risk (actual vulnerability) and include areas or zones of Very High, High, and Moderate fire hazard. These zones are used for several purposes, including designating areas where California’s defensible space standards and wildland urban interface building codes are required. They can factor in real estate disclosure, and local governments may consider them in their general plan and other land use planning and decisions.
FHSZs are not a structure loss model, as key information regarding structure ignition (roof type, etc.) is not included.
Government Code Section 51179(a) requiresthe City of Fortuna to adopt the 2025 LRA FHSZs by ordinance/map and then transmit a copy of the adopting ordinance to the State Fire Marshal within 30 days. The City can increase but not decrease the severity zone level of a parcel. FHSZ maps and more information can be viewed on the CAL FIRE FHSZ Viewer HERE. The 2025 Fortuna FHSZ update designates 1,935 parcels within the City of Fortuna’s jurisdiction as a Moderate FHSZ. The previous (2007-2011) FHZS map did not include any Moderate (or more severe) FHSZ zones in the City. The City cannot forecast whether this will impact insurance rates. Insurance companies use risk models, which differ from hazard models, because they consider the Business Item 5b
susceptibility of a structure to damage from fire and other short-term factors that are not included in hazard modeling. Building and Zoning Code requirements may be impacted in the future.
The City of Fortuna prominently displayed the FHSZ map and invitation for public comments on its website. No public comments were received. On April 14, 2025, the Fortuna Fire Protection District adopted Ordinance 2024/2025-1, an Ordinance Designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones within the Fortuna Fire Protection District.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This Ordinance has been evaluated for conformance with CEQA, the State CEQA Guidelines, and City regulations. City Planning Staff has determined that the adoption and implementation of the Ordinance is exempt from further environmental review under the general rule in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) in that CEQA only applies to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.
The Ordinance also qualifies for an exemption under State CEQA Guidelines section 15002(i)(1), in that adoption of the FHSZs and map is required by Government Code section 51179(a).
Adoption of the FHSZs and the map is required by law. It does not involve a commitment to any specific project that may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment.
Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the Ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment. Staff will file a Notice of Exemption with the State Clearinghouse and the County Clerk of the County of Humboldt per CEQA Guidelines.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Future Zoning Code amendments/adoptions would require additional staff time.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Receive staff presentation and review Council questions with staff.
2. Open Public Comment.
3. Close Public Comment.
4. Motion to introduce and conduct the first reading of Ordinance 2025-775, read by title only and continue the public hearing to July 7, 2025.
5. Roll Call Vote.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map.
Attachment 2: Fortuna Fire Protection District Ordinance 2024/2025-1 Designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
Attachment 3: Ordinance 2025-775.
Business Item 5b
City of Fortuna
Local Responsibility Area
Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map
Business Item 5b
Fortuna Fire Protection District
Ordinance 2024/2025-1
Business Item 5b
Fortuna Fire Protection District
Ordinance 2024/2025-1