Santa Cruz County

Summary

• Fire hazard severity zones

  Share of the land in each CAL FIRE hazard class

  Map
  1. Very High 25,499 acres · 24,959 state, 540 local 9%
  2. High 178,203 acres · 169,798 state, 8,404 local 62%
  3. Moderate 42,282 acres · 33,987 state, 8,295 local 15%
  4. Non-wildland 33,028 acres · Local Responsibility Area 12%
  5. Not mapped by CAL FIRE 6,879 acres · Mostly federal land 2%

  285,890 acres of land in all, 228,744 in the State Responsibility Area and 50,267 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 28 fires that burned here

  Map
  1. 2020 Czu Lightning Complex 86,554 acres in total · Cause: Lightning 63,746 acres here
  2. 2009 Lockheed Fire 7,783 acres here
  3. 2008 Summit Fire 4,175 acres in total · Cause: Debris burning 3,903 acres here
  4. 1962 Lincoln Hill Fire 3,236 acres in total 1,358 acres here
  5. 1959 Newell Creek #2 Fire 1,327 acres here
  6. 1984 Rocha Vmp Escape #2 Fire 1,240 acres in total · Cause: Miscellaneous 1,182 acres here
  7. 1985 Lexington Fire 13,128 acres in total · Cause: Arson 705 acres here
  8. 2009 Loma Fire 668 acres here
  9. 2008 Trabing Fire Cause: Vehicle 593 acres here
  10. 2008 Martin Fire Cause: Campfire 483 acres here

  And 18 smaller fires. The most recent was the 2021 Estrada Fire, which burned 54 acres here. In all, 72,885 acres of Santa Cruz 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