Several Bay Area cities listed on state’s new fire hazard map

Several locations in the Bay Area are considered very high fire hazard severity zones, according to new maps released this week by the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The state SAYS fire hazard zones in California have grown due to climate-driven droughts and longer, more dangerous wildfire seasons.

After the disastrous Southern California firestorms earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom ordered the state to update its statewide Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for the first time since 2011. The Bay Area counties that have been identified with increasing risk of fire are Napa, Sonoma and Contra Costa.

The Contra Costa County city with the most acreage in the "very high" category of severe fire danger is Orinda, with about 5,200 acres, That’s about eight-square miles, a little less than two-thirds of the entire city. It’s also twice the size of the area identified in the last state fire map.

Contra Costa's second largest "very high" hazardous area is in Richmond with nearly 4,400 acres – or nearly seven square miles.

Both Orinda and Richmond's highest risk of wildfires are in steep hillside areas. You can find links to the updated maps at KALW.org.