San Diego County just got a lot redder.
Most cities in the region saw an increase in land labeled a “very high” fire hazard, according to new maps released by Cal Fire Monday. This comes as Southern California continues to grapple with severe drought as a result of a La Niña weather pattern, raising the chances of devastating wildfires.
Understanding hazard vs. risk
Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps evaluate “hazard,” not “risk,” Cal Fire says. Here’s the agency’s definition of both:
“‘Hazard’ is based on the physical conditions that create a likelihood and expected fire behavior over a 30 to 50-year period without considering mitigation measures such as home hardening, recent wildfire, or fuel reduction efforts. ‘Risk’ is the potential damage a fire can do to the area under existing conditions, accounting for any modifications such as fuel reduction projects, defensible space, and ignition resistant building construction.”
In other words, the maps are much more about assessing future fire likelihood than projecting imminent risk.
More acres: The cities of Poway, San Marcos, Escondido, Santee, Encinitas, Vista, Chula Vista, Del Mar, and Carlsbad and Oceanside all saw an increase compared to 2011 – the last time Cal Fire issued what the agency calls Fire Hazard Severity Zones maps.
The standouts
- Chula Vista, Del Mar, Carlsbad, Poway, Santee and San Marcos all saw at least 10% additional land categorized as a “very high” fire hazard between 2011 and 2025.
- Poway topped the charts with nearly 80% of land within the city now in the highest hazard category.
- Imperial Beach, a coastal city which had no land in the category in 2011, now has 3%.
Trending downward: San Diego, Solana Beach and El Cajon all saw a reduction in “very high” hazard land, with about 13% in the city of San Diego losing that designation.
Skirting by: La Mesa and Lemon Grove remain with no land considered a “very high” fire hazard.
PSA: Don’t wait until a fire breaks out to take precautions. There’s plenty you can do in the meantime to protect you and your loved ones.
Type of Content
News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
