CAL FIRE's Land Use Planning Program Assists local governments (cities and counties) throughout California as they address the unreasonable risk from wildfire by planning for new development in the State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
Mission Statement
The Wildfire Hazard Legislation Safety Element Planning and Zoning Law requires that cities and counties adopt a comprehensive general plan with various elements including a safety element for protection of the community from unreasonable risks associated with various hazards, including wildfires (CGC 65302.5) CAL FIRE has a long history of knowing the importance of planning and its importance to wildland fire safety and risk mitigation. Land use planning incorporates safety element requirements for State Responsibility Areas (SRA) and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHS Zones); requires local general plan safety elements, upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2014, to be reviewed and updated as necessary to address the risk of fire in the SRA and VHFHS Zones; requires each safety element update to take into account the most recent version of the Office of Planning and Research's "Fire Hazard Planning" document; and requires the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to include a reference to the provisions of SB 1241 (Kehoe, 2012), as well as any other materials related to fire hazards or fire safety deemed appropriate for reference.
Statewide Program Administrator
Matt Damon
Deputy Chief
Matt.Damon@fire.ca.gov
(Sacramento) Land Use Planning Program
Gene Potkey - Battalion Chief
Gene.Potkey@fire.ca.gov
(559) 400-2479 Cell
Vacant - Battalion Chief
Northern Region Contacts
Shane Vargas - Battalion Chief
Shane.Vargas@fire.ca.gov
(530) 410-4225 Cell
Anthony Massucco - Fire Captain
San Mateo, Sonoma, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa
Anthony.Massucco@fire.ca.gov
(530) 360-5291 Cell
Shane Galvez - Fire Captain Butte, Del Norte, Humboldt, Yolo, Lake, Napa, Solano, Colusa, Mendocino, Shasta, Trinity, Siskiyou, Glenn, Tehama Shane.Galvez@fire.ca.gov
(530) 410-5592 Cell
Bryan Carter - Fire Captain
Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, Alpine, Santa Cruz, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Nevada, Placer, Yuba, Sierra, Santa Clara, San Joaquin Bryan.Carter@fire.ca.gov (530)-410-5142 Cell
Southern Region Contacts
Jose Quintana - Battalion Chief
San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura Jose.Quintana@fire.ca.gov
(559) 243-8992 Office
(951) 201-9918 Cell
Kevin Lindo - Fire Captain
Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin
Kevin.Lindo@fire.ca.gov
(559) 243-8993 Office
(559) 400-2464 Cell
Shelley Redden - Fire Captain
Riverside, Orange
Shelley.Redden@fire.ca.gov
(951) 320-2068 Office
(909) 677-3408 Cell
Steven (Brian) Barkley - Fire Captain
San Diego, Imperial
Steven.Barkley@fire.ca.gov
(951) 320-6122 Office
(951) 235-1257 Cell
Joe Kennedy -Fire Captain San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono Joseph.Kennedy@fire.ca.gov (951)-233-7426
Kevin Merkh - Fire Captain
Los Angeles Kevin.Merkh@fire.ca.gov (951)-201-1824
Subscribe For Updates
Subscribe to receive updated information on Land Use Planning:
California Law
Senate Bill No. 1241. (2012)
Bill text. Legislative Counsel’s Digest
Senate Bill No. 379. (2015)
Bill text. Land Use: General Plan: Safety Element
California Government Code 65302
Planning and Land Use – Local Planning – Authority for and Scope of General Plans
California Government Code 66474
Planning and Land Use – Subdivisions
Technical Guidance
Fire Hazard Planning: General Plan Technical Advice Series
Governor's Office of Planning and Research
A Handbook for Fire Planning in the General Plan (Coming Soon)
California Board of Forestry
2017 General Plan Guidelines
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
CAL FIRE Resources
Wildfire-Related Information
Firewise USA - Residents reducing wildfire risk
California is prone to the threat of wildfires, there are things you can do to protect your neighborhood, home, and family. Visit the links below to learn how.
Interactive Map of Firewise Communities in Good Standing