Hemet, CA Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)

Hemet sits against the San Jacinto foothills and includes areas designated by CAL FIRE's Office of the State Fire Marshal as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ). The City maintains a dedicated VHFHSZ program. Within the zone, the City states that 100 feet of defensible space is required around structures, mirroring California Public Resources Code section 4291, which requires owners to maintain defensible space of 100 feet from each side and the front and rear of a structure (but not beyond the property line). New construction in the zone must meet Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building codes - including ignition-resistant materials and ember-resistant design features in the California Building/Fire Code - to reduce ember intrusion. Property sellers must disclose a parcel's Fire Hazard Severity Zone status as part of the real-estate transaction. These requirements layer on top of Hemet's year-round weed-abatement and brush-clearance rules (Municipal Code Chapter 14, Article IX), which call for clearing vegetation within 200 feet of structures in fire-hazard areas. CAL FIRE/OSFM has issued updated proposed Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps; the exact parcels mapped in the Very High zone are defined on the official maps, so owners should check their specific address. For current boundaries, defensible-space details, and WUI standards, consult the City's VHFHSZ page and the CAL FIRE/OSFM map portal.