• Annual Brush Clearance Inspections 2023/2024

• Annual Brush Clearance Program Details
  

• Calabasas Brush Clearance Inspection Program

• Brush Clearance Annual Notice - FAQ

• LACoFD Annual Brush Clearance Notice

As a result of two recent CA Assembly Bills, there have been some updates to the Brush Clearance requirements.

According to AB 3074 & AB 38:

• Every structure within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) must comply with brush clearance regulations (basically the entirety of the SM Mtns).
  • this has added approximately 60,000 new parcels to the LACoFD inspection list county-wide
  • the vast majority of these parcels have never received a brush clearance notice before

• Owners of structures within a VHFHSZ must do more intense fuel reductions between 5 – 30 feet around the structure, and should create an ember-resistant zone within 0 – 5 feet of the structure.  

325.2.1 Clearances

Any person owning, leasing, controlling, operating, or maintaining any building, structure, or apiary upon or adjoining any mountainous, or forest or brush-covered land or land covered with flammable growth, and any person owning, leasing, or controlling any land adjacent to such structures, shall at all times:

1. Place or store firewood, manure, compost, and other minimum of 30 feet (9.14) from any building, structure, or apiary.
2. Maintain around and adjacent to such building, structure, or apiary an effective fire protection or firebreak made by removing and clearing away, for a distance of not less than 30 feet (9.14 m) on each side thereof, all flammable vegetation or other combustible growth. This includes ornamental plants and trees known to be flammable, including but not limited to acacia, cedar, cypress, eucalyptus, juniper, pine, and pampas grass.

Exceptions:

1. Ornamental plants and trees that are individually planted, spaced, and maintained in such a manner that they do not form a means of transmitting fire from native growth to the structure.
2. Cultivated ground cover such as green grass, ivy, succulents, or similar plants provided that they are maintained in a condition that does not form a means of transmitting fire from native growth to the structure.
3. That portion of any tree which extends within 10 feet (3.05 m) of the outlet of any chimney shall be removed.
4. Maintain any tree adjacent to or overhanging any building, structure, or apiary free of dead wood.
5. Maintain the roof of any building, structure or apiary free of leaves, needles, or other dead vegetative growth.
6. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to require any person to maintain any clearing on land where such person does not have the legal right to maintain such clearing, nor shall any provision of this ordinance be construed to require any person to enter upon or to damage property of another without the consent of the owner thereof. 

For more information, please visit www.fire.ca.gov/dspace