Apple Valley, CA Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)

The Town of Apple Valley lies in a Local Responsibility Area (LRA), where wildfire protection is provided locally by the Apple Valley Fire Protection District (AVFPD) rather than by the State Responsibility Area (SRA). Under California law and Senate Bill 63 (2021), CAL FIRE's Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) identifies and maps Moderate, High, and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ), and CAL FIRE released updated FHSZ maps in 2025 that include Apple Valley. These zones designate areas where California's defensible-space standards and wildland-urban interface (WUI) building codes apply. Residents can confirm a specific parcel's classification using the official OSFM viewer at osfm.fire.ca.gov/FHSZ or the District's interactive map. Locally, AVFPD Ordinance 71 designates wildland-urban interface zones within the District and establishes fire prevention and mitigation requirements tailored to wildfire risk, covering vegetation management, defensible space, ignition-resistant building and construction features, access, and ongoing property maintenance. As High Desert terrain with dry brush and strong winds, much of the area carries elevated wildfire risk, and the District's Hazard Abatement Program (over 25,000 parcels inspected yearly) and defensible-space standards, including reducing fuel within 100 feet of structures, are the practical mechanisms enforcing wildfire-zone requirements. Because zone boundaries vary by parcel, owners should verify their exact FHSZ designation from the official OSFM source before assuming a particular standard applies.