OCEANSIDE — The Oceanside City Council on June 4 unanimously approved a new fire hazard severity zone map developed by Cal Fire, marking the first update since 2007.
The updated map categorizes areas throughout the city into three tiers — moderate, high, or very high fire hazard severity zones. The previous map had only included very high zones.
According to Cal Fire, the revised map is based on a scientific and data-driven analysis to better identify wildfire risks across the state. The updates are part of a broader effort to address the growing frequency and intensity of wildfires, as well as to inform local planning decisions, building regulations, and public safety measures.
Other North County cities — including Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar — have already approved their maps. The Carlsbad City Council is scheduled to consider its update on June 17.
Assistant Fire Marshal Randy Hill said the new map generally adds more parcels to fire hazard zones, though some parcels in the southern part of the city were removed from the designation.
According to city staff, the updated map will help prioritize fuel reduction projects and enforcement of defensible space requirements, inform development decisions and building code compliance in high-risk areas, and potentially improve access to state and federal funding for mitigation efforts. It is also expected to strengthen public awareness and emergency preparedness.
Future developments proposed in high- and very high-severity areas must utilize fire-resistant construction materials and include real estate hazard disclosures. In very high zones, homes must also maintain a 100-foot defensible space from wildland areas.
During a 30-day public comment period earlier this year, residents expressed both support and concern about the map changes. Some were worried about the potential impacts on homeowners’ insurance.
City staff clarified that insurance providers rely on risk models, which evaluate the vulnerability of individual structures, rather than Cal Fire’s hazard models, which assess long-term environmental factors to inform land use decisions.
Some residents also questioned the accuracy of the updated maps.
“The Oceanside Fire Department is understanding of the concerns expressed by the public and acknowledges the challenges posed by insurance availability and regulatory impacts. However, the department is also supportive of the advanced scientific methodology and data-driven modeling used by Cal Fire in determining the zone designations,” the staff report states. “These zones are based on fire behavior modeling that includes ember cast potential, slope, fuels, and historical fire data—factors which often do not align with property boundaries or personal opinions.”
Residents also called for more brush clearing, though staff said those efforts are limited by habitat preservation requirements. The city currently manages brush and vegetation on public land and is pursuing funding for a pilot program that would deploy a fuel reduction crew to help manage hazardous vegetation.
The city cannot lower the fire hazard severity ratings on the map.
Mike Tenhover, a resident of Wanis View Estates near Oceanside Airport, has lived in a high fire hazard zone since the last map was adopted nearly 20 years ago. He has worked with the Oceanside Fire Department to promote safety in the area.
Tenhover said the most important zone around the home to protect is “ground zero,” the first five feet around the structure. He has encouraged neighbors to replace combustible cedar fences with steel fireproof fencing.
He added that his insurance rate is lower than a neighbor who lives outside the designated zone, and he urged residents to work with their insurance companies to mitigate risk.
“It’s a great time to get serious about fire safety,” he said.
Resident Joan Bockman called on the city to avoid non-native landscaping, emphasizing that native plants are far less flammable than highly combustible non-native species such as feather grass, fountain grass, palm trees and mustard weeds.
