Cal Fire released new fire hazard severity maps for the Bay Area, revealing a notable reduction in Berkeley's very high hazard zones. The area classified as very high hazard has decreased from 1,269 acres to 454. Meanwhile, new classifications have introduced 202 acres rated as high hazard and 393 as moderate hazard. While Berkeley and Oakland have seen total hazard acreage reduce, five other Alameda County cities now show significant hazard zones, particularly Fremont, which gained over 9,000 acres of moderate hazard areas. The maps remain in draft form, and construction in high-risk areas must meet heightened safety standards.
The new hazard severity maps released by Cal Fire indicate Berkeley now encompasses a significantly reduced very high hazard area, dropping to 454 acres from 1,269 since 2011.
Cal Fire's new classifications introduce moderate and high hazard designations to local jurisdictions, which were previously only assessed as very high hazard areas.
Despite Berkeley and Oakland having overall reduced hazard acreage, five other cities in Alameda County now show thousands of acres classified with varying fire hazards.
Fire hazard assessments by Cal Fire consider various factors such as fire history, vegetative fuel, terrain, and weather, which can evolve over time.
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