Background

Civil Code Section 1103(c)(6) requires real estate sellers to inform prospective buyers whether or not a property is located within a Wildland Fire Area that could contain substantial forest fire risks and hazards. The latest update to these requirements occurred in 1999 with the passage of Assembly Bill 248 (Torlakson). This disclosure has actually been required for Wildland Fire Areas since 1990, pursuant to Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 4136. The State Board of Forestry identifies those lands where the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) has the primary duty for wildland fire prevention and suppression. Many people know these lands as "state responsibility areas" or "SRA" lands. The CDF sends copies of these maps to the affected counties, and county officials must post notices at the offices of the county recorder, the county assessor, and the county planning agency that explain where the maps are available.