Wildfires: fire hazard severity zones: defensible space, vegetation management, and fuel modification enforcement.

Senator Durazo's wildfire safety legislation expands California's approach to identifying and managing fire risks by incorporating areas affected by recent wildfires and urban conflagration threats into the state's fire hazard classification system. The bill requires the State Fire Marshal to designate "post-wildfire safety areas" where fires have burned over 1,000 acres, destroyed more than 10 structures, or resulted in fatalities since January 2025.

Local agencies must implement wildfire community safety programs by January 2027 to verify compliance with defensible space and vegetation management requirements through annual property inspections. These programs may be funded through local fees and must report compliance data to a statewide platform maintained by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The legislation updates how fire hazard severity zones are determined by factoring in areas where structures could fuel fire spread beyond wildlands and where agricultural operations affect fire risks. The State Fire Marshal must publish the methodology for these classifications 60 days before finalizing zone designations. Cities and counties must incorporate post-wildfire safety areas into their general plan safety elements during regular updates.

Local agencies receiving post-wildfire safety area designations have 10 business days to post notices at government offices and online. These designations trigger state fire protection standards covering building codes, defensible space requirements, and infrastructure specifications within 30 days of notification.