San Mateo County

Summary

• Fire hazard severity zones

  Share of the land in each CAL FIRE hazard class

  Map
  1. Very High 60,849 acres · 53,776 state, 7,073 local 21%
  2. High 129,380 acres · 114,178 state, 15,202 local 44%
  3. Moderate 22,491 acres · 8,421 state, 14,070 local 8%
  4. Non-wildland 68,764 acres · Local Responsibility Area 23%
  5. Not mapped by CAL FIRE 11,458 acres · Mostly federal land 4%

  292,943 acres of land in all, 176,375 in the State Responsibility Area and 105,110 in the Local. State zones are the ones the State Fire Marshal designated, in effect since April 1, 2024. Local zones are CAL FIRE's 2025 recommendation, which each city or county adopts by ordinance and can make stricter. How to read fire zones

• Fire history

  The 10 largest of 20 fires that burned here

  Map
  1. 2020 Czu Lightning Complex 86,554 acres in total · Cause: Lightning 22,832 acres here
  2. 1962 Lincoln Hill Fire 3,236 acres in total 1,878 acres here
  3. 1964 Crocker Estate #16 Fire 1,543 acres here
  4. 1962 Leib Fire 1,326 acres here
  5. 1962 Crocker #6 Fire 370 acres here
  6. 1962 Hanna Prop. (Butano) Fire 242 acres here
  7. 2008 Quarry Fire Cause: Campfire 211 acres here
  8. 1969 Crocker #60 Fire 186 acres here
  9. 2021 Butano Fire Cause: Lightning 169 acres here
  10. 1984 San Bruno #9 Fire Cause: Arson 137 acres here

  And 10 smaller fires. The most recent was the 2025 School Fire, which burned 23 acres here. In all, 26,421 acres of San Mateo County have burned. Acres are the land each fire burned here, and fires that crossed less than an acre are not counted. Some older or smaller fires may be missing, and a fire perimeter can include unburned patches. How to read fire history