CC - Item 4B - Public Hearing of an Ordinance Adopting the Updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map as Recommended by the State Fire Marshal and Implementing Regulations for Fire Hazard Severity Zones Pursuant to Gov't Code Section 51178, 51179 & 51182CITY COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BEN KIM, CITY MANAGER 4i5�ti/
DATE: MAY 13, 2025
SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ROSEMEAD, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE UPDATED FIRE
HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES MAP AS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE
FIRE MARSHAL AND IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS FOR FIRE
HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTIONS 51178, 51179 & 51182
SUMMARY
The Office of the State Fire Marshal, in collaboration with the California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (CalFire), has completed an updated assessment and mapping of Fire Hazard Severity
Zones throughout California, including areas within the City of Rosemead, pursuant to Public
Resources Code Sections 4291 and Government Code Sections 51178, 51179, and 51182.
Staff recommend the City Council approve and introduce for first reading Ordinance No. 1029, of the
updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map, as designated and recommended by the State Fire Marshall
and Cal Fire, of the identified areas within the city limits as Moderate, High, and Very High Fire
Hazard Severity Zones.
BACKGROUND
The Office of the State Fire Marshal is responsible for periodically updating the Fire Hazard Severity
Zones maps for both the State Responsibility Area and the state's Local Responsibility Area (LRA)
for local agencies, including cities. Gov't Code § § 51178, 51199(e). The State Responsibility Area
maps were updated in 2024, and the LRA maps were updated recently, following January's
devastating fires and Governor Newsom's Executive Order N-18-25.
Government Code Section 51179 requires the State Fire Marshal to make recommendations of fire
hazard severity zones to local agencies for the agency's designation and adoption by ordinance. On
March 24, 2025, Cal Fire released the updated Local Area Hazard Severity Zones Maps for Southern
California.
AGENDA ITEM 4.B
City Council Meeting
May 13, 2025
Page 2 of 3
DISCUSSION
On March 24, 2025, the City of Rosemead received a letter from the Office of the State Fire Marshal
and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection informing the City of Rosemead that it has been
identified as having Moderate, High, and Very High, or a combination of Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
Senate Bill 63 mandates that local agencies make these maps publicly accessible within 30 days of
the maps release. The City of Rosemead Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map has been posted on the
City's website for the public to review and provide public comment from April 7, 2025, through May
7, 2025. Local jurisdictions must adopt the map via a local ordinance within 120 days of the map
release, i.e., no later than July 22, 2025.
The updated FHSZ map identifies a portion of the City of Rosemead within fire hazard severity zones.
The fire hazard severity zones are developed using a scientific, data -driven approach that considers
factors such as vegetation, topography, weather patterns, and fire history. There are three categories
of fire hazard zones: Moderate (Yellow) meaning areas with some wildfire risk, High (Orange)
meaning areas with significant wildlife risk, and Very High (Red) with areas with the highest wildfire
risks.
The City of Rosemead Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map, Attachment B, shows where Cal Fire has
identified the fire hazard severity zones. The chart below breaks down the fire hazard zones by acres.
8 11
The hazard zones map helps guide building standards, defensible space requirements, and emergency
response planning and the Los Angeles County Fire Department shall retain primary enforcement
responsibility for defensible space and brush clearance requirements within the High and Very High
Fire Hazard Severity Zones of the City of Rosemead pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 4291
and Government Code Section 51182.
To promote public safety through enhanced fire prevention, mitigation, and preparedness strategies,
the updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones map will be included in future updates of the General Element
Safety Plan and Local Hazard Mitigation Plan; and the City shall enforce all applicable provisions of
the California Building Standard California Building Standards Code, Title 24, Part 2, Chapter 7A,
requiring ignition -resistant construction standards for all new construction and substantial remodels
with the designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
City Council Meeting
May 13, 2025
Page 3 of 3
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council approve and introduce first reading, by title only of Ordinance
No. 1029, and bring back said ordinance for second reading at a future City Council meeting.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process.
Prepared by:
O�
Mandy Wong
Public Safety Supervisor
Submitted by:
Ave--O�
pp h�bAhc of Tim Murakami
Director of Public Safety
Attachment A: Letter from the Office of the State Fire Marshall and Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection
Attachment B: City of Rosemead Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map
Attachment C: Executive Department State of California, Executive Order N-18-25
Attachment D: Ordinance No. 1029 for Adoption Consideration
Attachment E: Presentation
Attachment A
Letter from the Office of the State Fire Marshall and
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
STATE OF CALIFORNIA—NATURAL RL30URCES AGENCY Gavin Newsom, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION
OFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL �Vu�
P.O. Box 944246 i
SACRAMENTO, CA 94244-2460 1,
(916)568-3800
Websile: www.fire.ca.gov
March 24, 2025
Dear: City Manager,
Re: Official Transmittal of Fire Hazard Severity Zones
The State Fire Marshal is mandated by Government Code (GC) 51178 to identify levels of fire
hazard based on consistent statewide criteria and the expected severity of fire hazards.
Government Code 51179 requires the State Fire Marshal to make recommendations of fire hazard
severity zones to local agencies, as defined per GC 51177(e), for their designation and adoption by
ordinance. This letter serves as the official transmittal of the recommendation. For the Statutory
requirements for local adoption please review California Code, GOV 51179.
Your City/County has been identified as having Moderate, High, Very High or a combination of Fire
Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) within your jurisdiction. The maps and data are available in the FHSZ
HUB at https://fire-hazard-severity-zones-rollout-calfire-forestry.hub.arcgis.com/ .
Please complete the Public Contact Survey in the FHSZ HUB using the link above. This information
will be used for a public Webmap on the CAL FIRE -Office of State Fire Marshal website to guide
your constituents to the appropriate contact person or website for the Local Responsibility Area
FHSZ in your jurisdiction.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact our Team at
FHSZinformation@fire.ca.gov.
Sincerely,
Daniel Berlant
State Fire Marshal
CAL FIRE —Office of the State Fire Marshal
"The Depm•hnent ofForem y and Fire Protection serves and safeguards the people mid protects the property and resources of California. "
Attachment B
City of Rosemead Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map
Attachment C
Executive Department State of California, Executive
Order N-18-25
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
EXECUTIVE ORDER N-18-25
WHEREAS on January 7, 2025, 1 proclaimed a State of Emergency to exist in
Los Angeles and Ventura Counties due to fire and windstorm conditions that
have now caused multiple fires, including the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia,
Sunset, Woodley, and Hughes Fires; and
WHEREAS these fires have devastated communities across the Greater Los
Angeles Area and have collectively burned over 47,900 acres, destroying or
damaging more than 16,250 structures, including homes, small businesses, and
places of worship, with initial estimates placing this disaster among the most
destructive in California history; and
WHEREAS since the fires began, I have issued multiple Executive Orders to
provide relief to impacted communities, protect survivors and expedite and aid
recovery efforts, including orders streamlining permitting requirements to enable
Los Angeles to build back quickly, and safer and more resilient than before; and
WHEREAS these fires were not isolated incidents, but rather the latest
examples of how a changing climate creates weather extremes that can
combine with wildfire -susceptible fuel loads, even during California's traditionally
wet season, to cause massive conflagrations; and
WHEREAS the State's agencies responsible for fire response and resilience,
including the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (Board of Forestry), the
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the Office of the State Fire
Marshal, and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), have
already begun evaluating these fires, and should move quickly to incorporate
standards, regulations, and statutes, to harden communities urgently; and
WHEREAS scientific research has shown that the greatest risk of embers
directly or indirectly igniting a home, as occurred in many neighborhoods in the
Palisades and Eaton firestorms, stems from combustible materials built or planted
within five feet of a home, including perpendicular wood fences and
combustible landscaping; and
WHEREAS because of the risk presented by embers, Assembly Bill No. 3074
(Friedman, 2020) requires promulgation of regulations to establish an ember -
resistant "Zone Zero" within five feet of structures in certain fire severity zones,
and insurance companies may factor wildfire mitigations such as Zone Zero
clearance into insurance rates; and
WHEREAS the State Fire Marshal is responsible for periodically updating fire
hazard severity zone maps for both the State Responsibility Area and the state's
Local Responsibility Areas, and while the State Responsibility Area maps were
updated in 2024, the Local Responsibility Area maps are due to be updated;
and
WHEREAS CAL FIRE and Cal OES collaborate with the federal government
and other states on operational plans for wildfire response, including mutual aid
systems and sequences for dispatching resources, but the federally managed
system, known as the Federal Interagency Resource Ordering Capability (IROC),
lacks the capacity to process in real-time requests to dispatch additional
resources for wildfire incidents of this magnitude, resulting in ad -hoc
communication and coordination around such requests and imperfect visibility
to resource availability and deployment as the incident response evolves; and
WHEREAS my 2025-2026 Budget proposal reflects a total of $4 billion for
Wildland Management, which maintains $2.5 billion in prior investments and
commits another $1.5 billion over the next several years to ramp up and
implement my Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, increasing the pace of
fuel reduction, prescribed fire, and forest health; and
WHEREAS my Administration has invested $2 billion to support CAL FIRE
operations, a 47% increase since 2018 and is committed to adding 2,400
additional firefighters to CAL FIRE's ranks over the next five years; and
WHEREAS my Administration has overseen the expansion of California's
aerial firefighting fleet, including the addition of more than 16 helicopters
equipped for night operations, and seven C-130 air tankers, making it the largest
fleet of its kind globally; and
WHEREAS California is leveraging AI -powered tools to spot fires quicker,
has deployed the Fire Integrated Real -Time Intelligence System (FIRIS) to provide
real-time mapping of wildfires, and has parfnered with the U.S. Department of
Defense to use satellites for wildfire detection and invested in LiDAR technology
to create detailed 3D maps of high -risk areas; and
WHEREAS in anticipation of severe fire weather conditions in early January
2025, Cal OES approved the prepositioning of 65 fire engines, as well as more
than 120 additional firefighting resources and personnel throughout seven
Southern California counties, and CAL FIRE moved firefighting resources to
Southern California including 45 additional engines and six hand crews to the
region; and
WHEREAS California was able to mobilize more than 15,000 personnel
including firefighters, National Guard servicemembers, law enforcement officers
and transportation teams to support the response to the Los Angeles firestorms,
and more than 1,900 firefighting apparatus composed of engines, aircraft,
dozers and water tenders to aid in putting out the fires.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California,
in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and
statutes, do hereby issue the following Order to become effective immediately.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
The Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, in consultation with the State Fire
Marshal, shall require the creation of an ember -resistant zone within 0 to 5
feet of a home ("Zone 0 regulations"), consistent with Public Resources
Code section 4291 and Government Code section 51182. The Board of
Forestry and Fire Protection shall post a pre-rulemaking draft regulation to
its internet website and hold a public workshop to gather public input on
its draft regulation within 45 days of this Order, and shall complete the
formal rulemaking process no later than December 31, 2025.
2. The State Fire Marshal shall, consistent with Government Code sections
51178 and 51179, provide to local agencies, and make available to the
public, its proposed Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for Local Responsibility
Areas (LRA). Maps representing different regions of the State shall be
provided to the public in phases starting no later than February 10.
3. To ensure that resources are ordered and dispatched efficiently and
effectively, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and
the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) are directed to, in
consultation with local, tribal, and federal partners and FIRESCOPE, work
with the federal government to evaluate the Federal Interagency
Resource Ordering Capability (IROC), including its current limitations, and
identify technology and process improvements to modernize a system
that can fulfill the purpose of supporting the rapid fulfillment of mutual aid
request during large-scale incidents.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this Order be filed in
the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice
be given of this Order.
This Order is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits,
substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, against the State of
California, its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any other
person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have
hereunto set my hand and caused
the Great Seal of the State of
California to be affixed this 6th day
of Febru ry 2025.
GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California
ATTEST:
SHIRLEY WEBER, PH. D
Secretary of State
Attachment D
Ordinance No. 1029
ORDINANCE NO. 1029
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ROSEMEAD, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE UPDATED FIRE
HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES MAP AS RECOMMENDED BY THE
STATE FIRE MARSHAL AND IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS
FOR FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES PURSUANT TO
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 51178, 51179 & 51182
WHEREAS, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, in collaboration with the California
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), has completed an updated assessment and
mapping of Fire Hazard Severity Zones throughout California, including areas within the City of
Rosemead, pursuant to Public Resources Code Sections 4291 and Government Code Sections
51178, 51179, and 51182; and
WHEREAS, following the January 2025 Southern California fires, Governor Newsom
signed Executive Order N-18-25, directing that the State Fire Marshal to update the Local
Responsibility Area (LRA) maps; and
WHEREAS, on March 24, 2025, the California Office of the State Fire Marshal (State
Fire Marshal) issued and released its 2025 recommended Statewide LRA Fire Hazard Severity
Zone maps, including the City of Rosemead; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 63 mandates that local agencies make these maps publicly
accessible within 30 days of the maps released; and
WHEREAS, the City of Rosemead Fire Hazard Severity Zones LRA map was made
available on the City Website for the public to view and to provide Public Comment starting April
7, 2025 through May 7, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the updated map identifies specific areas within the City of Rosemead with
Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The zones are identified in three categories of Moderate (Yellow)
meaning areas with some wildlife risk, High (Orange) of areas with significant wildlife risk, and
Very High (Red) with areas with highest wildlife risks; and
WHEREAS, the hazard zones are developed by California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection using a scientific, data -driven approach that considers factors such as vegetation,
topography, weather patterns, and historical wildlife data; and
WHEREAS, the updated map identifies portions of the City of Rosemead as Very High
Fire Hazards Severity Zones, which are subject to additional fire safety requirements under state
and local laws; and
WHEREAS, these maps help guide building standards, defensible space requirements, and
emergency response planning; and
WHEREAS, the Los Angeles County Fire Department shall retain primary enforcement
responsibility for defensible space and brush clearance requirements within the High and Very
High Fire Hazard Severity Zones of the City of Rosemead pursuant to Public Resources Code
Section 4291 and Government Code Section 51182; and
WHEREAS, the identification of such zones is intended to promote public safety through
enhanced fire prevention, mitigation, and preparedness strategies; and
WHEREAS, the updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones map will be included in future
updates of the General Element Safety Plan and Local Hazard Mitigation Plan; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 51179 requires that local agencies adopt the Fire
Hazard Severity Zones map as recommended by the State Fire Marshal within 120 days of
receiving recommendation pursuant to Government Code Section 51178, and implement
appropriate regulations to reduce fire hazards in those areas; and
WHEREAS, the City of Rosemead City Council to adopt the updated map as
recommended by the State Fire Marshal and implement necessary regulations for the protection of
life and property.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD,
CALIFORNIA, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1.
The City of Rosemead hereby adopts the updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map, as
designated and recommended by the State Fire Marshall and the California Dept of Forestry and
Fire Protection, identifying areas within the city limits as Moderate, High, and Very High Fire
Hazard Severity Zones.
SECTION 2.
The City shall enforce all applicable provisions of the California Building Standards Code,
Title 24, Part 2, Chapter 7A, requiring ignition -resistant construction standards for all new
construction and substantial remodels with the designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
SECTION 3.
The City shall enforce Government Code Sections 51175-51189, that ensure the Los
Angeles County Fire Department is the agency responsible for enforcing defensible space
regulations in designated fire hazard areas, particularly in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
SECTION 4.
This ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its passage and adoption, and the City
Clerk shall certify the adoption and cause it to be published according to law.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this day of 2025.
Margaret Clark, Mayor
ATTEST:
Ericka Herandez, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Rachel H. Richman, City Attorney
CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )
CITY OF ROSEMEAD )
I, Ericka Hernandez, City Clerk of the City of Rosemead, County of Los Angeles, State of California,
hereby attest to the above signature and certify that Ordinance No. 1029, was first introduced at the
regular meeting of by first reading. Said Ordinance was duly passed, approved and adopted
by the City Council of the City of Rosemead at a regular meeting held on the day of May
2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Ericka Hernandez, City Clerk
Attachment E
Presentation
FIRE HAZARD
SEVERITY
ZONE MAP:
WHAT IT
MEANS FOR
OUR
COMMUNITY
C I T Y C O U N C I L
M E E T I N G
M A Y | 1 3 | 2 0 2 5
Government Code 51178 – Requires State Fire Marshal to make
recommendations of fire hazard severity zones to local agencies.
California Code GOV 51179 – local agencies to adopt an ordinance.
Executive Order N-18-25 – Signed by Governor Newsom directing the
Office of the State Fire Marshal to release updated FHSZ maps for
areas under local government responsibility.
Definition: Designated areas indicating wildfire risk levels
established by CAL FIRE.
Purpose:Assist in planning, building codes, insurance
assessments, and emergency services.
Categories: Moderate, High, and Very High hazard zones.
Moderate
(2025)
High
(2025)
Very High
(2025)
Very High
(2011)
8 11 15 0
Recommended Fire Hazard Severity Zones
(March 2025)
Acres in Rosemead
•Moderate (Yellow) – Areas with some wildfire risk.
•High (Orange) – Areas with significant wildfire risk.
•Very High (Red) – Areas with the highest wildfire risk.
Factors in Determining the Hazard Zones
•Vegetation and Fuel Type
•Terrian and Slope
•Weather and Wind Patterns
•Historical Wildfire Data
•Defensible Space – Maintain 100 feet of defensible space around
properties.
•Building Codes – Adhere to regulations for fire-resistant materials
in high-risk zones.
•Insurance – Understand how hazard zones may affect insurance
premiums.
•Preparedness – Develop evacuation plans and emergency kits.
•Office of State Fire Marshall – https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/
•Local Responsibility Area Legislation Factsheet Flipbook –
LRA FHSZ - About FHSZ in LRA | LRA FHSZ - Hub Site
Application
•City of Rosemead – https://www.cityofrosemead.org/