ARTICLE 9. Fire Hazard Severity Zones [4201. - 4204.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 9.
in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4201. Section 4201.

The purpose of this article is to provide for the classification of lands within state responsibility areas in accordance with the severity of fire hazard present for the purpose of identifying measures to be taken to retard the rate of spreading and to reduce the potential intensity of uncontrolled fires that threaten to destroy resources, life, or property.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4202. Section 4202.

The State Fire Marshal shall classify lands within state responsibility areas into fire hazard severity zones. Each zone shall embrace relatively homogeneous lands and shall be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and other relevant factors present, including areas where winds have been identified by the department as a major cause of wildfire spread.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4203. Section 4203.

(a) The State Fire Marshal shall, by regulation, designate fire hazard severity zones and assign to each zone a rating reflecting the degree of severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in the zone. (b) No designation of a zone and assignment of a rating shall be adopted by the State Fire Marshal until the proposed regulation has been transmitted to the board of supervisors of the county in which the zone is located at least 45 days before the adoption of the proposed regulation and a public hearing has been held in that county during that 45-day period.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4204. Section 4204.

The State Fire Marshal shall periodically review zones designated and rated pursuant to this article and, as necessary, shall revise zones or their ratings or repeal the designation of zones. Any revision of a zone or its rating or any repeal of a zone shall conform to the requirements of Section 4203. In addition, the revision or repeal of a zone may be petitioned pursuant to Sections 11340.6 and 11340.7 of the Government Code.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

Starting a business in California? California LLC guide: costs and requirements