CalFire Just Released New Wildfire Risk Maps for Contra Costa, and the Changes Are Troubling

CalFire, which is responsible for firefighting and evaluating wildfire risk here in California, has just released new wildfire risk maps for 2025, including new maps for much of Contra Costa County.

The new maps paint a troubling picture–wildfire risk has increased dramatically, although some parts have surprisingly low risk.

We have the maps below so that you can check your house’s score. Find the map for your town, and then take a look at the yellow, orange and red zones.

Yellow means a Moderate risk, Orange a high risk, and Red a very high risk.

Many of the values have recently changed. In light of the destruction of the Palisades fire, risks are very much on peoples’ minds here in the Bay Area.

The maps show that the county’s highest wildfire hazards cluster in two main areas: (1) the chain of wooded hills and canyons stretching south from around El Cerrito through the Briones, Orinda, and Moraga areas, and (2) the upland terrain in and around Mount Diablo and its southeastern foothills. Both of these regions are shown in deeper reds and pinks, indicating elevated to very high fire risk.

By contrast, the flatter, more urbanized corridors of Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and much of the northern and eastern valley floor appear in lighter shades (yellows and lighter oranges).

These correspond to moderate fire hazard zones or areas outside of the mapped high‐hazard designations. However, even in these flatter parts of the county, any boundary adjoining open grasslands or brushy hillsides can still face an elevated risk—reflected on the map where lighter shades meet darker ones.

Overall, the map highlights that wildfire danger is most severe where homes and infrastructure border or intermingle with extensive open space, dense vegetation, and steep terrain (often called the “wildland–urban interface”).

The heavily wooded hills west and south of the county’s central corridor, as well as the slopes and canyons surrounding Mount Diablo, fall into that category. These areas not only have heavier fuel loads but can also experience faster‐moving wildfires driven by steep slopes and periodic strong winds.

Maps by City