Wildfire Zones: Santa Rosa vs Sonoma
How do wildfire zones rules compare between Santa Rosa, CA and Sonoma, CA?
Santa Rosa and Sonoma have similar restriction levels.
Santa Rosa, CA
Sonoma County
Sonoma County's Fire Safety Ordinance 6396 (codified at Chapter 13) treats both State Responsibility Area (SRA) parcels and all Local Responsibility Area parcels designated 'Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone' (VHFHSZ) on the 2025 CAL FIRE maps as Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). New construction and substantial remodels in those areas must meet California Building Code Chapter 7A and California Residential Code Chapter 337 ignition-resistant standards - including Class A roofs, ember-resistant vents, non-combustible siding, dual-pane tempered windows, and ignition-resistant decking. The Tubbs (2017), Kincade (2019), and Glass/Walbridge (2020) fires triggered substantial tightening of these requirements.
View full Santa Rosa rules →Sonoma, CA
Sonoma County
Sonoma County's Fire Safety Ordinance 6396 (codified at Chapter 13) treats both State Responsibility Area (SRA) parcels and all Local Responsibility Area parcels designated 'Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone' (VHFHSZ) on the 2025 CAL FIRE maps as Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). New construction and substantial remodels in those areas must meet California Building Code Chapter 7A and California Residential Code Chapter 337 ignition-resistant standards - including Class A roofs, ember-resistant vents, non-combustible siding, dual-pane tempered windows, and ignition-resistant decking. The Tubbs (2017), Kincade (2019), and Glass/Walbridge (2020) fires triggered substantial tightening of these requirements.
View full Sonoma rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Santa Rosa | Sonoma |
|---|---|---|
| Local Code | Sonoma County Code Chapter 13 (Ord. 6396, 2022) | Sonoma County Code Chapter 13 (Ord. 6396, 2022) |
| State Law | 14 CCR Sections 1270 et seq.; CBC Chapter 7A; CRC Chapter 337 | 14 CCR Sections 1270 et seq.; CBC Chapter 7A; CRC Chapter 337 |
| FHSZ Maps | CAL FIRE 2025 update (released Feb 24, 2025) | CAL FIRE 2025 update (released Feb 24, 2025) |
| Roofing Standard | Class A only (Sonoma County local amendment) | Class A only (Sonoma County local amendment) |
| Vent Mesh | 1/8 inch or finer corrosion-resistant ember screen | 1/8 inch or finer corrosion-resistant ember screen |
| Windows | Dual-pane, at least one tempered pane | Dual-pane, at least one tempered pane |
| Private Road Width | 20 ft minimum, turnouts every ~400 ft | 20 ft minimum, turnouts every ~400 ft |
| Driveway Max Grade | 10% paved / 15% all-weather surface | 10% paved / 15% all-weather surface |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Santa Rosa FAQ
Is my Sonoma County property in a wildfire hazard zone?
Check the CAL FIRE 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone viewer. If your parcel is in the State Responsibility Area (SRA) or in a Local Responsibility Area designated 'Very High,' Chapter 13 and California Building Code Chapter 7A apply. Sonoma County does not maintain its own boundary map - the CAL FIRE viewer is the controlling reference.
What does Chapter 7A construction require in Sonoma County?
Class A roofing only (a Sonoma local amendment that is stricter than the state default), ember-resistant 1/8-inch vent mesh, non-combustible or ignition-resistant siding, dual-pane windows with at least one tempered pane, ignition-resistant decking, and 1-hour fire-resistive eaves. Private roads and driveways must meet fire-apparatus access dimensions.
Did the 2017/2019/2020 fires change Sonoma County's wildfire rules?
Yes. After the Tubbs, Kincade, Glass, and Walbridge fires destroyed thousands of homes, Sonoma County replaced its prior fire ordinance with Ordinance 6396 (2022), which adopts CAL FIRE's SRA Fire Safe Regulations as the LRA baseline and adds local amendments (such as Class A-only roofing) that are stricter than statewide standards.
Sonoma FAQ
Is my Sonoma County property in a wildfire hazard zone?
Check the CAL FIRE 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone viewer. If your parcel is in the State Responsibility Area (SRA) or in a Local Responsibility Area designated 'Very High,' Chapter 13 and California Building Code Chapter 7A apply. Sonoma County does not maintain its own boundary map - the CAL FIRE viewer is the controlling reference.
What does Chapter 7A construction require in Sonoma County?
Class A roofing only (a Sonoma local amendment that is stricter than the state default), ember-resistant 1/8-inch vent mesh, non-combustible or ignition-resistant siding, dual-pane windows with at least one tempered pane, ignition-resistant decking, and 1-hour fire-resistive eaves. Private roads and driveways must meet fire-apparatus access dimensions.
Did the 2017/2019/2020 fires change Sonoma County's wildfire rules?
Yes. After the Tubbs, Kincade, Glass, and Walbridge fires destroyed thousands of homes, Sonoma County replaced its prior fire ordinance with Ordinance 6396 (2022), which adopts CAL FIRE's SRA Fire Safe Regulations as the LRA baseline and adds local amendments (such as Class A-only roofing) that are stricter than statewide standards.
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