Photo above: Dry grass ridges and oak woodland along the Lafayette Ridge Trail in Briones Regional Park, above Lafayette, California, May 2026. Awinch1001, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Good odds, yes, if the house is up in the hills. The City of Lafayette says 7,018 acres of the city are now mapped in a fire hazard severity zone, and 5,309 of those acres are rated high (City of Lafayette, Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map page, checked September 25, 2026). Insurance is a separate question that only a licensed insurance agent or broker can answer for a specific house, so get a quote early.
The map took effect July 10, 2025. Here’s what it shows, what it changes when you buy or sell, and where to go for insurance answers.
How much of Lafayette is in a fire hazard zone?
A lot of it. The city’s table for the 2025 map:
| Zone | Acres in Lafayette |
|---|---|
| Very high | 41 |
| High | 5,309 |
| Moderate | 1,668 |
| Total mapped | 7,018 |
Source: City of Lafayette, Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map page, checked September 25, 2026.
That is a real change from the old map. The city says Lafayette’s previous map was adopted in 2013, when land was either rated very high or not rated at all. State law now requires moderate and high zones too, which is why so many more parcels show up today (same city page).
Which parts of town are shaded?
We read the State Fire Marshal’s Lafayette map, dated February 24, 2025, from the copy Con Fire posts. This is our description by direction, not an official street list:
- North of Highway 24. Most of the hill land north of the freeway is shaded high, with a small very high patch at the far west edge of the city.
- South of Highway 24. The hills around Lafayette Reservoir and running southeast toward Moraga and Walnut Creek are shaded high.
- Moderate bands. Yellow moderate strips sit between the high zones and the flatter streets, mostly along the east side of town.
- Unzoned. The downtown and Highway 24 corridor, and a few pockets on the east side, show as unzoned.
Two houses on the same road can land in different zones. Look up the parcel itself.
How do I look up one address?
Three free ways, all official:
- Con Fire’s Local Responsibility Area Maps page (cccfpd.org) posts the “LRA Lafayette Map (PDF)” and links the map viewers.
- CAL FIRE’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone viewer, linked from the State Fire Marshal’s site, lets you type the address and zoom to the lot.
- The Natural Hazard Disclosure report in escrow lists the fire zone for the property. Read that line, not just the summary.
Save a screenshot of what you find. It helps when you talk to insurance agents.
Who adopted the map, and can the city change it?
Not the city. The City of Lafayette says Contra Costa Fire was the lead agency, and the County Board of Supervisors, sitting as the fire district’s board, adopted the recommended map. By state law the district could not shrink or remove any area the State Fire Marshal recommended (City of Lafayette page, checked September 25, 2026). Con Fire says its updated maps are effective as of July 10, 2025 (Con Fire, Local Responsibility Area Maps page, checked September 25, 2026).
Does a high zone mean my house is likely to burn?
No map can tell you that. The city’s page puts it plainly: the map shows “hazard,” not “risk.” Hazard is based on vegetation, terrain, embers, fire history and fire weather over a 30 to 50 year window. It leaves out things like home hardening, recent fires and fuel reduction work.
So a zone describes the land around a house, not the house. The roof, the vents, the deck and the first few feet around the walls matter too.
What changes for owners in a high or very high zone?
Three things, per the city’s page (checked September 25, 2026):
- Building codes for new construction. California’s wildland-urban interface (WUI) building codes apply to new buildings in high and very high zones. They cover roofing, siding, decks, windows and vents.
- Defensible space. Government Code 51182 requires 100 feet of defensible space clearance in very high zones. The city notes the state is moving toward “Zone 0” rules for an ember-resistant area within 5 feet of structures, with details still to come.
- The AB 38 inspection when you sell. Since 2021, sellers of homes (including condos) in a high or very high zone must provide documentation that the property meets defensible space laws, or the buyer must agree to get that documentation later. Con Fire publishes instructions for requesting an AB 38 Real Property Transfer Inspection. Its guide also quotes Contra Costa County Ordinance 2023-07, which calls for compliance documentation from the Fire Code Official before close of escrow on the sale of any parcel in the fire district, so ask Con Fire even if your parcel is moderate or unzoned (Contra Costa Fire, AB 38 guide, checked September 25, 2026).
Selling this year? Ask your agent about the AB 38 inspection before you list, not after you’re in escrow. For what it means in your purchase contract, talk to a real estate attorney.
Can I get homeowners insurance on a Lafayette house in a fire zone?
That depends on the house and the insurer, and it’s a question for a licensed insurance agent or broker. We’re real estate agents, not insurance agents, and we don’t give coverage advice. Here’s where the answers live:
- A licensed agent or broker, early. Ask for a quote on the exact address as soon as you’re serious, while your contingencies are still open.
- The California FAIR Plan. It describes itself as “an insurer of last resort” for basic fire coverage when the traditional market won’t write a policy, and it tells owners to work with a broker (cfpnet.com, checked September 25, 2026).
- The California Department of Insurance. Its consumer line is 1-800-927-4357 for questions or disputes with an insurer (insurance.ca.gov, checked September 25, 2026). The city’s fire map page also links the Department’s Wildfire Recovery and Readiness resources.
We don’t have official Lafayette figures on premiums or non-renewals, so we won’t guess at them.
Questions people also ask
When did Lafayette’s new fire hazard map take effect?
July 10, 2025. The City of Lafayette says the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, acting as the fire district’s board, adopted the State Fire Marshal’s recommended map, and Con Fire says its updated maps are effective as of that date. The map replaced one from 2013 that only rated land very high or not at all.
Is any of Lafayette in a very high fire hazard zone?
Yes, a small piece. The City of Lafayette’s table for the 2025 map shows 41 acres rated very high, compared with 5,309 acres high and 1,668 moderate. On the State Fire Marshal’s February 24, 2025 map, the very high patch sits at the west edge of the city, north of Highway 24. Check your own parcel on the official viewer.
What is an AB 38 inspection in Lafayette?
It’s a defensible space inspection tied to a sale. Since 2021, sellers of homes in high or very high fire hazard zones must document that the property meets defensible space laws, or the buyer agrees to get that documentation later. Contra Costa Fire publishes how to request the inspection, according to the City of Lafayette’s fire map page.
What if insurers won’t cover my Lafayette home?
Ask a licensed insurance agent or broker about your options first. The California FAIR Plan offers basic fire coverage when regular insurers won’t write a policy and calls itself an insurer of last resort. For questions or complaints about an insurer, call the California Department of Insurance at 1-800-927-4357.
Your next step
Send us the Lafayette address you’re looking at. We’ll pull the parcel on the fire map, walk you through the AB 38 timing, and make sure your insurance quote happens while you still have room to back out. Ask a Lafayette agent on our team or call (510) 949-5525.
More on Lafayette: Is Lafayette, CA a good place to live? · Selling a home in Lafayette · What’s my home worth?
By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Lafayette, CA. Updated September 25, 2026.
Sources
- City of Lafayette, Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map page: lovelafayette.org (City Hall, Emergency Preparedness, Fire Hazard Maps) (checked September 25, 2026)
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, “City of Lafayette, Contra Costa County, Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones,” February 24, 2025 (PDF posted by Con Fire): cccfpd.org (viewed September 25, 2026)
- Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Local Responsibility Area Maps page: cccfpd.org/205/Local-Responsibility-Area-Maps (checked September 25, 2026)
- Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Real Property Transfer Inspection (AB 38) guide: cccfpd.org/DocumentCenter/View/411 (checked September 25, 2026)
- California FAIR Plan: cfpnet.com (checked September 25, 2026)
- California Department of Insurance, Getting Help: insurance.ca.gov (checked September 25, 2026)