Wildfire Zones: Garden Grove vs Newport Beach
How do wildfire zones rules compare between Garden Grove, CA and Newport Beach, CA?
Garden Grove has fewer restrictions than Newport Beach.
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 →Newport Beach, CA
Orange County
Portions of Newport Beach, particularly the hillside areas of Newport Coast and San Joaquin Hills, are designated as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Properties in these areas face enhanced building, landscaping, and brush clearance requirements under NBMC and California fire code.
View full Newport Beach rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Garden Grove | Newport Beach |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | - |
| Designation | - | Very High Fire Hazard Severity |
| Key Areas | - | Newport Coast, San Joaquin Hills |
| Defensible Space | - | 100 feet per PRC 4291 |
| Construction | - | CBC Chapter 7A required |
| NB Fire | - | (949) 644-3104 |
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.
Newport Beach FAQ
Is my Newport Beach property in a wildfire zone?
Properties in Newport Coast, Crystal Cove, and the San Joaquin Hills are typically in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Check with NB Fire at (949) 644-3104 for your specific address.
What building requirements apply in fire zones?
CBC Chapter 7A requires Class A roofing, ember-resistant vents, tempered glass, and non-combustible materials within 5 feet of the structure for new construction.
How much brush clearance is required?
PRC 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures. NB Fire conducts annual inspections in designated fire hazard zones.
Compare other topics
See how Garden Grove and Newport Beach 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