Wildfire Zones: Garden Grove vs Irvine
How do wildfire zones rules compare between Garden Grove, CA and Irvine, CA?
Garden Grove has fewer restrictions than Irvine.
Garden Grove, CA
Orange County
Garden Grove is a flat, fully urbanized city in central Orange County and First Street rates citywide wildfire risk as Very Low (about 4% of buildings at any risk). The City has not historically been mapped as containing CAL FIRE High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) area, so AB 38 disclosure and statewide defensible-space rules generally do not apply. Verify your parcel against the 2025 LRA FHSZ map before relying on this.
View full Garden Grove rules →Irvine, CA
Orange County
Irvine adopted updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps in 2025, expanding Moderate, High, and Very High designations into multiple communities. Properties in FHSZ areas face enhanced building standards and defensible space requirements.
View full Irvine rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Garden Grove | Irvine |
|---|---|---|
| Citywide Wildfire Risk (First Street) | Very Low - approx. 4% of buildings at any risk | - |
| Topography | Flat urban coastal plain - no wildland interface | - |
| FHSZ Status | Not historically mapped High/Very High - verify 2025 LRA map | - |
| Map Authority | CAL FIRE / Office of the State Fire Marshal | - |
| 2025 Recommended Maps Released | March 24, 2025 | - |
| Defensible Space Statute (if mapped) | Public Resources Code 4291 - 100 ft | - |
| AB 38 Disclosure | Civ. Code 1102.19 - applies only in High/VH FHSZ | - |
| Local Fire Code | 2022 CFC adopted at GGMC Chapter 8.18 | - |
| Fire Authority | Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) | - |
| Verify Parcel | OCFA (714) 573-6000 or CAL FIRE FHSZ Viewer | - |
| FHSZ Map | - | Updated 2025, effective July 2025 |
| Zones | - | Moderate, High, Very High |
| Expanded Areas | - | 8+ communities added |
| Building Code | - | CBC Chapter 7A in VHFHSZ |
| Defensible Space | - | 100 ft required in FHSZ |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Garden Grove FAQ
Is any part of Garden Grove in a CAL FIRE Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone?
Not historically. Garden Grove is fully urbanized flat terrain and does not appear on the OC Public Works Very High FHSZ in LRA list that captures Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda, and the eastern foothill cities. CAL FIRE issued recommended 2025 LRA maps on March 24, 2025; verify your parcel before relying on this.
Do AB 38 defensible-space disclosures apply when I sell a Garden Grove home?
AB 38 (Civ. Code 1102.19) only attaches to properties in a State or Local Responsibility Area High or Very High FHSZ. Garden Grove parcels are generally outside those zones, so the AB 38 inspection and disclosure typically do not apply. Confirm with your title or escrow officer using the current CAL FIRE map.
How do I check whether a specific Garden Grove address is in an FHSZ?
Use the CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone Viewer (osfm.fire.ca.gov/FHSZ) or call the Orange County Fire Authority at (714) 573-6000 and ask the Fire Marshal to confirm with the current adopted map.
Irvine FAQ
Is my Irvine home in a wildfire zone?
Check the city's Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map. The 2025 update expanded zones into Orchard Hills, Woodbury, Portola Springs, Quail Hill, Turtle Rock, and other communities.
What building requirements apply in fire zones?
Properties in Very High FHSZ must meet CBC Chapter 7A standards for ignition-resistant construction, including Class A roofing and fire-resistant walls.
Compare other topics
See how Garden Grove and Irvine compare on other ordinance categories.
Want to add a third city?
Use our full comparison tool to compare up to three cities.
Open Comparison Tool