Land Use Planning
The Wildfire Hazard Legislation and 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). The Land Use Planning program assists the CA Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (Board) and the local agency that shall review the draft or an existing safety element and recommend changes to the planning agency within 60 days of its receipt regarding both of the following:
(A) Uses of land and policies in state responsibility areas and very high fire hazard severity zones that will protect life, property, and natural resources from unreasonable risks associated with wild land fires.
(B) Methods and strategies for wild land fire risk reduction and prevention within state responsibility areas and very high fire hazard severity zones. These methods and strategies shall reflect accepted best practices in the most recent guidance document entitled “Fire Hazard Planning, General Plan Technical Advice Series,” as identified in Section 65040.21.
Land Use Planning Laws
- 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
Land Use Planning for Wildfires Trainings
CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation Division with the Community Wildfire Planning Center has completed another round of Land Use Planning for Wildfires in California in 2024. Click Learn More for information on future training dates, locations, and to be added to our training notification list.
Statewide Program Administrator
- Carmel Barnhart
Deputy Chief
Carmel.Barnhart@fire.ca.gov
Sacramento Contacts
-
Rudy Baltazar
Assistant Chief
Rudy.Baltazar@fire.ca.gov
- Shelley Redden
Battalion Chief
Shelley.Redden@fire.ca.gov
- Steven "Brian" Barkley
Battalion Chief
Steven.Barkley@fire.ca.gov
- Kevin Lindo
Battalion Chief
Kevin.Lindo@fire.ca.gov
- Shane Galvez
Battalion Chief
Shane.Galvez@fire.ca.gov
- Bryan Carter
Battalion Chief
Bryan.Carter@fire.ca.gov
- Anthony Massucco
Battalion Chief
Anthony.Massucco@fire.ca.gov
- Brian Olson
Battalion Chief
- Melinda Pritchard
Associate Governmental Program Analyst
Melinda.Pritchard@fire.ca.gov
(916) 261-3977
Northern Region Contacts
- James Ausboe
Fire Captain
James.Ausboe@fire.ca.gov
(530)-410-5592
Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Shasta, Trinity, Tehama, Glenn, Colusa, Lake, Butte, Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, Sonoma, Napa, Sierra, Nevada, Yuba, Placer, Sutter, Yolo
- Malcolm Kennedy
Fire Captain
Malcolm.Kennedy@fire.ca.gov
(530)-360-5291
San Francisco, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Stanislaus (West), Marin, Solano, El Dorado, Sacramento, Amador, Alpine, San Joaquin
- Vacant
Battalion Chief
- Vacant
Fire Captain
Southern Region Contacts
- Jose Quintana
Battalion Chief
Jose.Quintana@fire.ca.gov
(559) 243-8992 Office
(951) 201-9918 Cell
- Kyle O'Neil
Fire Captain
Kyle.Oneil@fire.ca.gov
(559) 243-8993 Office
(559) 400-2464 Cell
Stanislaus (East), Calaveras, Tuolumne, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin
- Vacant
Fire Captain
- Joe Kennedy
Fire Captain
Joseph.Kennedy@fire.ca.gov
(951)-233-7426
Orange, Riverside
- Vacant
Fire Captain
- Shawn Arnold
Fire Captain
Shawn.Arnold@fire.ca.gov
(909)-677-3408
San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Tulare, Kern
Subdivision Review Program
Firewise Communities
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.