The State Fire Marshal's Office released its new Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps in March, and the shockwaves have been felt all across the state. The dramatic increase in areas designated as High Fire Risk, specifically within City limits, has been exponential. And the Insurance Industry has responded, raising rates and canceling Homeowners' Insurance policies left and right.It should be noted that the Agency prepared these maps without input from any local jurisdiction. A bill demanding that input (SB 61 O) never made it out of committee for discussion, leaving the sole authority to the State Fire Marshal's· Office. Once again, the elites in Sacramento stiff-armed the ability for local officials with intimate knowledge of their communities to have a voice. As a result, hundreds of ta
