TEHACHAPI, Calif. (KERO) — The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) proposed its new Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map, leaving California looking more wildfire-prone than ever.
“Since 2015 really, we've been experiencing a tremendous increase in the size and severity of wildfires,” said Steven Hawks, the CAL FIRE Assistant Deputy Director.
CAL FIRE’s responsibility area of 31 million acres has overall increased the status of hazard across the state. In Kern County, areas in the eastern Kern mountains and north of Bakersfield are going from moderate to high and from high to very high.
Hazard is different from risk, however.
CAL FIRE defines hazard as based on the physical condition that creates the likelihood of a fire, while risk is defined as the potential damage the fire can do. Some factors affect the severity of the hazard zones continuously update, such as climate data, topography, and one of the most important: wind.
“Wind is one of the leading factors during a fire that really determines how fast it spreads, the intensity of the fire, along with topography and the fuel," said Hawks.
The goal of this map is to inform the public and local officials when it comes to developing new areas within these zones.
“It's really a planning tool for the public to understand the hazard of an area in which they live and take appropriate mitigation actions well in advance of a fire to prepare," Hawks explained.
However, the map will not be ready for planning purposes until the public approves it. The public hearing process is happening in every county across California. The meeting is where concerns about the map, proposed changes, and general feedback will be taken into consideration before the map’s deadline in February.
“You know we have a significant wildfire issue here in California and we need to do all we can to prepare well in advance of the fire," said Hawks.
The public hearing for Kern County took place on Thurs, Jan 19 at 10 a.m. in the Golden Hills Community Service District in Tehachapi.
