Tuolumne County, CA Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Responsibility area
- Mostly State Responsibility Area (CAL FIRE / Tuolumne County Fire)
- Mapped hazard acreage
- Over 358,000 acres in moderate/high/very high FHSZ (2022 maps)
- Shift since 2007
- ~12.8% of SRA acres moved from moderate to high/very high
- City of Sonora
- Excluded from SRA maps (Local Responsibility Area, handled separately)
- Major fire history
- 2013 Rim Fire ~257,000 acres
- Legal trigger
- FHSZ triggers PRC 4291 defensible space + Chapter 8.14 clearance
Summary
Almost all of unincorporated Tuolumne County is a State Responsibility Area protected by CAL FIRE, with over 358,000 acres mapped as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones. CAL FIRE's 2022 maps shifted county acreage into higher tiers. These zones trigger PRC 4291 defensible space and county Chapter 8.14 vegetation duties.
ed mapping across California under the California Public Resources Code 4201-4204, encompassing all State Responsibility Areas (SRA). What are Fire Hazard Severity Zones? 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.
Full Breakdown
Tuolumne County faces extreme wildfire risk - the 2013 Rim Fire burned roughly 257,000 acres, one of California's largest. The state classifies wildfire risk through Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ). CAL FIRE / the Office of the State Fire Marshal released updated State Responsibility Area FHSZ maps (effective 2022-2024) for the first time in about 15 years; reporting on the Tuolumne County maps shows more than 358,000 acres in zones graded moderate, high, and very high. 2% more in very high zones. The SRA maps cover state-responsibility lands and do not include the incorporated City of Sonora, a Local Responsibility Area addressed separately.
14) requiring vegetation clearance on private parcels in the unincorporated county. Property owners should look up their parcel on CAL FIRE's FHSZ viewer to confirm their zone and the obligations that follow. Verify current map status and any local building requirements with Tuolumne County Fire Prevention (209-533-5502) and CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit.
Violations & Fines
Properties in fire hazard severity zones must meet PRC 4291 defensible space (enforced by CAL FIRE) and Tuolumne County Chapter 8.14 vegetation duties; non-compliance can lead to CAL FIRE enforcement and county abatement. New construction in higher zones must meet wildfire building standards. Specific penalty amounts were not verifiable from a fetched source; confirm with Tuolumne County Fire Prevention (209-533-5502).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Tuolumne County property in a fire hazard severity zone?
What does being in a very high fire hazard zone require of me?
Did the fire hazard maps change recently?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tuolumne County
California rules heatmap·Compare Tuolumne County to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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