Placer County, in partnership with the Placer County Fire Department, has launched the Engage Placer: Fire Hazard Severity Zones webpage, a centralized hub to help residents understand newly updated wildfire hazard maps, compliance requirements and insurance information.

The page equips property owners in unincorporated Placer County with FHSZ mandate information, an interactive map viewer and FAQs to navigate state-mandated fire resilience standards.

This initiative follows Gov. Gavin Newsom’s February 2025 executive order expediting updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone mapping for local responsibility areas — regions overseen by local fire districts like the Placer County Fire Department.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal is mandated to classify lands within Local Responsibility Areas into Fire Hazard Severity Zones.

The maps, now available for public review, classify unincorporated areas into moderate, high or very high fire hazard zones. Local jurisdictions are required to adopt either the new standards as released or more stringent ones of their choosing within 120 days of the new maps’ release.

Placer County’s maps integrate factors like vegetation, slope and ember cast production potential, and fire history to prioritize safety in high-threat regions.

Draft maps will be presented to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for review and adoption in May. Finalization is targeted for June 10.

Residents are encouraged to review the maps and submit feedback via the webpage before the board’s decision.