Board adopts updated Local Responsibility Area fire‑hazard severity maps prepared by Cal Fire
Summary
The Board adopted maps designating fire hazard severity zones for Local Responsibility Areas (LRAs) as prepared by Cal Fire. County wildfire coordinator Kristen Feiler explained the mapping incorporates improved modeling and new climate/vegetation data and adds moderate and high zones in addition to very high. The board waived further reading and
The Inyo County Board of Supervisors on July 22 adopted updated maps designating fire hazard severity zones for the county’s Local Responsibility Areas (LRAs). Kristen Feiler, the county wildfire coordinator, said the maps were prepared through Cal Fire’s statewide process and incorporate improved modeling, updated weather data and new vegetation analysis.
Feiler explained the current update differs from the county’s prior mapping round (which mapped only “very high” zones) by adding moderate and high classifications and by using newer tools such as enhanced fire‑behavior modeling and more accurate weather and EmberCast data. She said there is little LRA acreage in Inyo County and that many programmatic effects (for example, building code and WUI standards) remain consistent with existing state Wildland‑Urban Interface guidance. Links to the online slider maps that show the old and new designations were noted in the staff report and will be included with the minutes.
The board waived further reading and adopted the ordinance as presented. Supervisors asked clarifying questions about small mapped pockets appearing in remote locations; Feiler said those are driven by vegetation and fire‑behavior modeling and do not necessarily reflect legal changes to development standards beyond state WUI requirements.
Outcome: ordinance adopted by vote; no specific immediate land‑use changes were ordered beyond adopting the updated Cal Fire map designations.
