Yucaipa, CA Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)

Development Code Article 2 creates the Fire Safety (FR) Overlay District in the City of Yucaipa, San Bernardino County, to provide greater public safety in areas prone to wildland brush fires through additional development standards. Under § 85.020205 the district is designated in high fire hazard areas mapped on the City General Plan Hazards Maps, with locations derived from the California Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service, and the most current version of the state's Fire Hazard Severity Zones officially governs.

Section 85.020215 divides the district into three review areas, each a different level of wildland hazard, with cumulative requirements. Fire Safety Review Area 1 covers wildland areas that are marginally developable, areas not likely to be developed, and the transition zone where slope changes abruptly, and it includes areas of very high to extreme fire hazard. Area 2 is relatively flat land that is partially or completely developed and exposed to wildland fire mainly because of its proximity to Area 1. Municipal Code § 15.04.085, which amends the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, defines Area 3 as the transition from the wildlands of FR1 and FR2 to the developed portions of the City.

Process and construction rules follow in §§ 85.020210 and 85.020220. The Community Development Department files notice of every land use application leading to a structure or a subdivision with the responsible fire authority, and fire authority recommendations go into conditions of approval where possible. Roof coverings must be non-combustible or fire-retardant with a minimum Class A rating. Buildings on lots with widths of 60 feet or greater need exterior wall separations of at least 30 feet. Lots created after March 9, 1988 that abut a National Forest need buildings set back at least 30 feet from the San Bernardino National Forest boundary. An addition or reconstruction equal to or over 50% of the existing structure, or 25% of the roof for roofing only, triggers retrofit of the whole structure or roof.