From OPR, August 17, 2022
To help communities address wildfire risk and build community resilience, OPR released the updated Fire Hazard Planning Technical Advisory, a holistic guidance document to support integrated local planning in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) and high fire hazard risk areas. OPR also released the WUI Planning Guide.
Fire Hazard Technical Advisory, 2022 update
OPR first published the Fire Hazard Planning Technical Advisory (TA) in 2015 and initiated an update in 2019 to include “specific land use strategies to reduce fire risk to buildings, infrastructure, and communities.” The TA offers recommendations on a broad range of planning activities, including:
- Conducting outreach and engagement activities to promote more robust and collaborative wildfire solutions;
- Conducting comprehensive wildfire hazard and risk assessments;
- Aligning and integrating these assessments across a variety of plans; and
- Developing general plan policies and programs that reduce risk for existing and future communities.
Wildland-Urban Interface Planning Guide, August 2022
OPR’s new Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Planning Guide highlights how local agencies across California can leverage plans, regulations, and additional tools to reduce risk in wildfire-prone areas. The guide also features nine best practice case studies that offer opportunities for learning — and solutions that may be suitable for adoption in other communities.
Upcoming webinar
The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research — in collaboration with CAL FIRE, the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the Community Wildfire Planning Center — will host an informational webinar on September 14 at 1:00 pm to provide an overview of OPR’s Fire Hazard Planning TA, Wildland-Urban Interface Planning Guide, and additional resources the State is developing to promote wildfire resilience.