---
title: "Frequently Asked Questions - City of Ventura"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/88116768-5fbc-4410-a02d-b52f9f92dbf8
source_url: "https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/m/faq?cat=119#question-861"
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summary: "Ventura City FAQs explain Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) and their classifications for wildfire risk assessment in Local Responsibility Areas. Property owners in high-risk zones must comply with building codes, maintain defensible space, and disclose fire hazard status when selling."
tags: "fire-hazard, wildfire-safety, fhsz, community-development, ventura-city, defensible-space, local-responsibility-area"
key_entities: "Ventura City (location), California (location), Ventura County (location), State Fire Marshal (organization), Ventura Fire (organization), CAL FIRE (organization), City of Ventura (organization), Fire Hazard Severity Zone (concept), Local Responsibility Area (concept), Defensible Space (concept), Wildfire-resistant construction codes (concept), Fire Hazard Reduction Program (event)"
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---

# Frequently Asked Questions - City of Ventura

Frequently Asked Questions Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps 9 All Content What is a Fire Hazard Severity Zone? A Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) is an area that the State Fire Marshal has identified as being at risk for wildfires. These zones are ranked as  moderate, high, or very high based on factors like how much dry vegetation (fuel) is present, the steepness of the land (slope), weather conditions that increase fire danger, and strong winds that can quickly spread flames. The goal of these classifications is to help communities understand their wildfire risk and take steps to stay safe. Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps Why are fire hazard severity maps being updated? The hazard maps are being updated to more accurately reflect the zones in California that are susceptible to wildfire.  The hazard mapping process incorporates new science in local climate data and improved fire assessment modeling in determining hazard ratings.    Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps Why is my property in a different zone than the adjacent area, which looks similar? Your property might be in a different Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) than a nearby area, even if they look similar, because of how wildfire risks are calculated. In urban areas near wildlands , the biggest risk comes from embers traveling from nearby wildland fires. So, properties closer to wildlands are assigned the same fire hazard level as the wildland itself, while areas farther away are classified as lower hazard. In wildland areas , zones are based on terrain, vegetation, and fire behavior patterns. Even if two areas look alike, the overall fire hazard is determined by a larger section of land, not just a single property or street. This classification helps predict wildfire hazards more accurately and guide safety measures. Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps What is "Local Responsibility Area," or LRA? A Local Responsibility Area (LRA) is land where local agencies—like city or county fire departments—are responsible for wildfire protection. This includes cities, suburban neighborhoods, farmland, and some desert areas. Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) : Fire protection is handled by local fire departments, like Ventura Fire. State Responsibility Areas (SRA) : CAL FIRE is in charge of wildfire prevention and response, and Ventura County Fire is a contracted agency. The newly released fire hazard severity zone map focuses on Local Responsibility Areas, meaning it shows wildfire risks in places where Ventura Fire provides fire protection. Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps What are the requirements for landowners in FHSZs in local responsibility areas? If you own property in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) within a Local Responsibility Area (LRA), there are certain wildfire safety requirements to follow: Building Requirements : New buildings in "High" and "Very High" Fire Hazard Severity Zones   must follow California’s wildfire-resistant construction codes. Some remodels may also need fire-resistant materials. Defensible Space : State law (Government Code 51182) requires homeowners to manage vegetation and create defensible space surrounding structures to reduce wildfire risks. Real Estate Disclosures : If you’re selling a home, you must disclose if it’s in a fire hazard zone. For Ventura residents, the Fire Hazard Reduction Program helps property owners understand and meet defensible space requirements. Learn more at cityofventura.ca.gov/FHRP . You can also find tips on wildfire preparedness at ReadyForWildfire.org . Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps How do I provide feedback about the draft LRA Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for Ventura? Community feedback is an essential part of the map adoption process. The City of Ventura must submit resident feedback and Department refinements and adopt the map by ordinance by July 7, 2025 . Residents are encouraged to review the updated map and share their input. Please complete the online resident feedback form to have your feedback documented. Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps Will the new Fire Hazard Severity Zones affect my ability to get or maintain insurance? The new Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZs) won’t directly determine your ability to get or keep home insurance, but they may play a role. Insurance companies use their own risk models, which look at a home’s vulnerability to fire and other short-term factors. While they may not specifically rely on CAL FIRE’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, they do use some of the same wildfire risk data. However, insurance companies also consider additional, frequently changing factors that aren’t included in CAL FIRE’s long-term hazard mapping. If you’re concerned about insurance coverage, check with your provider to understand how wildfire risk affects your policy. Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps If my zone changes from "High" to "Very High," will this impact my insurance premiums or renewal ability? [Information provided by Ricardo Lara, Insurance Commissioner for the California Department of Insurance] For many years, insurance companies have been using alternate wildfire risk tools for determining where they will write and renew policies, and how much premium to charge a policyholder, not the Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps. Therefore, a change in designation on the maps for a single homeowner is unlikely to affect their insurance. The reality is that more accurate risk information enables homeowners and communities to reduce their wildfire risks, and Commissioner Lara’s new wildfire mitigation regulation clarifies what actions you should take to reduce wildfire risks. Once that regulation is fully implemented, if a homeowner or business owner takes those risk mitigation actions, they will be able to see a discount in their insurance premium.  Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps How will the updated maps affect insurance affordability? [Information provided by Ricardo Lara, Insurance Commissioner for the California Department of Insurance] CAL FIRE’s maps are intended to drive local planning decisions, not insurance decisions. Under Commissioner Lara’s new regulation finalized in October 2022, insurance companies must provide discounts for wildfire safety actions such as community mitigation and home-hardening, which CAL FIRE’s maps do not assess. In addition, insurance companies are already using risk analysis tools and models that go beyond CAL FIRE’s proposed maps in determining what properties they will underwrite.  Commissioner Lara’s new wildfire safety regulation will help increase access to insurance by promoting wildfire safety across the state. Reducing wildfire risks throughout the state is the primary way we can make insurance more available and affordable, and our regulation is a major step towards that goal. CAL FIRE’s maps support that goal through improving public education about hazard and the need for safety preparation.  Fire - Fire Hazard Severity Zone LRA Maps