City Urges Public to Review Proposed Zone Maps and Submit Feedback
Culver City residents can now review updated fire hazard maps that outline new wildfire risk zones for local neighborhoods, following a release by the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM).
The 2025 Recommended Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps for Local Responsibility Areas (LRAs), including Culver City, were unveiled as part of a statewide effort to reassess wildfire risks. The last major update to LRA fire hazard maps occurred in 2007, focusing exclusively on areas designated as “Very High” fire hazard zones.
The newly updated maps categorize wildfire risk into three levels: Moderate, High, and Very High. According to city officials, the Culver City Fire Department recommends retaining the current Very High FHSZ boundaries, which primarily impact the Blair Hills neighborhood. Additionally, the department recommends adopting the newly identified High and Moderate fire hazard zones outlined in the 2025 updates.
Fire hazard severity zones are determined using a combination of factors, including local vegetation (fuel conditions), weather patterns, terrain, and fire behavior modeling.
Under state regulations, local governments are required to adopt the OSFM-recommended maps, with or without modifications, within 120 days of their release.
For property owners, being located within a High or Very High FHSZ carries several implications, including requirements for maintaining 100 feet of defensible space around structures in Very High zones, compliance with home hardening standards under the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building codes, and mandatory disclosure of a property’s hazard zone designation during real estate transactions.
Residents can view the updated maps online:
- 2025 OSFM-Recommended LRA Map for Culver City
- 2012 City-Adopted Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map
- 2025 Culver City Fire Department Recommended FHSZ Map
The Culver City Fire Department is encouraging public feedback. Comments and questions can be submitted by mail to:
Culver City Fire Department – Office of the Fire Marshal
Re: FHSZ Comment
9770 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232Alternatively, submissions can be made online.
