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

Glenn County is split between the flat Sacramento Valley ag floor (Willows, Orland, Hamilton City) and the Coast Range foothills to the west (Elk Creek, Stonyford), which abut the Mendocino National Forest. The western foothills are largely State Responsibility Area (SRA), where CAL FIRE's Tehama-Glenn Unit has primary wildfire protection responsibility for unincorporated lands. Under California Public Resources Code sections 4201-4204, CAL FIRE and the Office of the State Fire Marshal map Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ), classifying land as Moderate, High, or Very High based on vegetation, terrain, weather, and fire history; updated SRA FHSZ maps took effect April 1, 2024. Properties within the SRA and higher-hazard zones are subject to defensible-space requirements under PRC 4291 (100 feet around structures) and, for new construction, the wildland-urban interface building standards in the California Building/Residential Code (ignition-resistant materials, ember-resistant vents, etc.). The valley floor is generally lower hazard, while the western rangeland and foothills carry the county's significant wildfire risk. Property owners can look up their parcel's zone on the CAL FIRE / State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone viewer. Designation affects defensible-space obligations, building requirements for new or rebuilt structures, and, increasingly, wildfire insurance availability.