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

California's fire hazard severity zone maps, published by Cal Fire and adopted by local agencies, identify moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones (VHFHSZ) in both state and local responsibility areas. In Moreno Valley, VHFHSZ designations concentrate along the Box Springs Mountain Reserve on the west edge, the foothill slopes north toward Lake Perris, and the Badlands wildland interface east of the city. New construction in these zones must comply with Chapter 7A of the California Building Code: ignition-resistant exterior materials, ember-resistant vents, dual-pane tempered windows, enclosed eaves, and non-combustible gutters. AB 38, effective January 1, 2021, requires sellers of homes in high or very high fire hazard zones to provide a defensible space compliance document at escrow and disclose known retrofit conditions. Homes built after 2010 in VHFHSZ are generally already compliant; older homes must disclose deficiencies. Homeowners insurance in these areas has tightened substantially since 2020, with many carriers non-renewing and the California FAIR Plan becoming the fallback. Residents can look up their parcel on the Cal Fire FHSZ viewer or the city GIS portal. Even parcels outside the mapped zone can face embers during wind events (Santa Ana winds push from the pass toward Moreno Valley), so defensible space practices are recommended citywide.