Sierra County, CA Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)

Sierra County sits in the high-elevation forested Sierra Nevada, where wildfire risk is severe. CAL FIRE maps Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) for all State Responsibility Areas under California Public Resources Code Sections 4201-4204, classifying land as Moderate, High, or Very High fire hazard based on fuels, slope, and fire weather. Much of unincorporated Sierra County is mapped as High or Very High FHSZ within the State Responsibility Area, where the State (CAL FIRE, Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit) is responsible for wildfire prevention and suppression; large tracts are also federal land in the Tahoe and Plumas National Forests under U.S. Forest Service jurisdiction. These hazard designations carry real obligations: properties must meet 100-foot defensible space under PRC 4291, and new construction in designated zones must comply with the wildland-urban-interface building standards (California Building Code Chapter 7A, fire-resistant roofing, ember-resistant vents) carried in the California Building Standards Code that Sierra County adopts in Code Section 12.04.080. Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps can be searched by address through the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Sierra County also coordinates wildfire preparedness through community fire-safe planning. Property owners in these zones should expect defensible-space inspections, seasonal fire restrictions, and stricter ignition-resistant building requirements. To confirm your parcel's zone, use the OSFM FHSZ viewer or contact CAL FIRE.