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Garden Grove, CA Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

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

Summary

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.

The State Fire Marshal is mandated to classify lands within State Responsibility Areas into Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ). Fire Hazard Severity Zones fall into one of the following classifications: Moderate High Very High The California laws that require Fire Hazard Severity Zones include California Public Resources Code 4201-4204, California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 1280 and California Government Code 51175-89.

Source: CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal - Fire Hazard Severity ZonesView official code

Full Breakdown

California's Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) program, run by CAL FIRE and the Office of the State Fire Marshal under Public Resources Code 4201-4204 and Government Code 51175-51189, maps Moderate, High, and Very High zones across both State Responsibility Areas (SRA) and Local Responsibility Areas (LRA). Garden Grove sits at the flat coastal-plain core of Orange County with no canyons, foothills, or wildland-urban interface, and First Street's wildfire model rates the City as Very Low overall, with only about 4% of buildings at any modeled wildfire exposure.

Unlike eastern Orange County cities (Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda, Orange, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente) that contain mapped Very High FHSZ in their hillside portions, Garden Grove has not historically been listed on the OC Public Works Very High FHSZ in LRA roster. CAL FIRE issued recommended 2025 LRA FHSZ maps for Southern California on March 24, 2025, and each city must adopt the maps; confirm any change for a specific parcel using the CAL FIRE FHSZ Viewer before assuming a property is exempt.

19, Government Code 51182, 51189) defensible-space disclosure at point of sale and the PRC 4291 100-foot defensible-space rule do not attach. 18 and the Orange County Fire Authority enforces weed abatement, vegetation management on vacant lots, and fire-lane standards citywide. Confirm your parcel's FHSZ status with OCFA at (714) 573-6000 or with the Garden Grove Fire Marshal before buying or building.

Violations & Fines

If a parcel is later mapped into a High or Very High FHSZ, owners become subject to PRC 4291 defensible-space requirements, Chapter 7A wildland-urban-interface building standards (CRC R337), and AB 38 seller disclosure at sale; failure to disclose or maintain defensible space can trigger civil penalties, transaction delays, and OCFA enforcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Garden Grove

All Garden Grove rules

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