The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has updated its classification of areas that are more at risk of being affected by wildfires. The new fire hazard severity zone map shows ...

Adoption of the Cal Fire map is mandatory and cities do not have the authority to change the risk designations, though they can offer feedback to scale an area’s hazards upward.

The map shows a 69% increase in acreage added to the “very high” fire hazard severity zone in San Luis Obispo County, according to Cal Fire data. In 2011, the county’s “very high” hazard ...