Lodi, CA Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)

California Government Code Section 51178 directs the State Fire Marshal to designate areas within Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) as Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones using consistent statewide criteria including fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and wind-driven fire spread. CAL FIRE's Office of the State Fire Marshal released phased LRA FHSZ maps in February and March 2025. The City of Lodi - on the floor of the San Joaquin Valley at elevation ~52 ft with primarily flat, irrigated agricultural and developed surroundings - does not contain mapped Moderate/High/Very High FHSZ polygons within its corporate boundary on the current LRA FHSZ maps. Practical consequences: (1) Public Resources Code 4291's 100-foot defensible-space rule applies in SRAs and Very High FHSZs and is therefore not the controlling standard inside Lodi; (2) California Building Code Chapter 7A WUI ignition-resistant construction (Class A roofs, ember-resistant vents, decking) is not triggered citywide for new construction; (3) Insurance disclosures under Civil Code 1103 regarding FHSZ status will indicate the property is not in a designated zone. Residents should still maintain the LMC 12-inch grass standard and CFC 304 combustible-waste standards. The San Joaquin County General Plan Safety Element and Cal OES MyHazards tool list the regional wildfire risk in the Lodi area as low compared with foothill and coastal-range communities, but localized risk increases east of the city toward the Sierra foothills (Calaveras and Amador counties).