Brush Clearance: Lompoc vs Santa Maria
How do brush clearance rules compare between Lompoc, CA and Santa Maria, CA?
Lompoc and Santa Maria have similar restriction levels.
Lompoc, CA
Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County is one of California's highest wildfire-risk counties. Every owner of a structure in a State Responsibility Area (SRA) or in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around the structure under California Public Resources Code Section 4291 and the locally adopted Fire Code in County Code Chapter 15. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department's Defensible Space Inspection Program inspects parcels annually and, on slopes greater than 30 percent in High Fire Hazard Areas, may require clearance beyond 100 feet - up to 200 feet on 30-40 percent slopes and 250-300 feet on 41-60 percent slopes. AB 38 (effective July 1, 2021) requires a compliant defensible-space inspection at the time of sale of any home in a designated fire hazard severity zone.
View full Lompoc rules →Santa Maria, CA
Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County is one of California's highest wildfire-risk counties. Every owner of a structure in a State Responsibility Area (SRA) or in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around the structure under California Public Resources Code Section 4291 and the locally adopted Fire Code in County Code Chapter 15. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department's Defensible Space Inspection Program inspects parcels annually and, on slopes greater than 30 percent in High Fire Hazard Areas, may require clearance beyond 100 feet - up to 200 feet on 30-40 percent slopes and 250-300 feet on 41-60 percent slopes. AB 38 (effective July 1, 2021) requires a compliant defensible-space inspection at the time of sale of any home in a designated fire hazard severity zone.
View full Santa Maria rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Lompoc | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Governing Statute | California Public Resources Code Section 4291 (Defensible Space) | California Public Resources Code Section 4291 (Defensible Space) |
| Local Adoption | Santa Barbara County Code Chapter 15 (Fire Prevention) and locally amended California Fire Code | Santa Barbara County Code Chapter 15 (Fire Prevention) and locally amended California Fire Code |
| Standard Clearance | 100 feet around any structure, or to property line (whichever is closer) | 100 feet around any structure, or to property line (whichever is closer) |
| Zone 1 (0-30 ft) | Lean, Clean, Green - remove all dead vegetation, combustible litter, low branches | Lean, Clean, Green - remove all dead vegetation, combustible litter, low branches |
| Zone 2 (30-100 ft) | Reduce Fuel - grass under 4 inches, 10-15 ft spacing, dead material removed | Reduce Fuel - grass under 4 inches, 10-15 ft spacing, dead material removed |
| Steep Slope Extension | Up to 200 ft (30-40% slope) and 250-300 ft (41-60% slope) in High Fire Hazard Areas | Up to 200 ft (30-40% slope) and 250-300 ft (41-60% slope) in High Fire Hazard Areas |
| Chapter 7A WUI Construction | Required for new builds in Wildland-Urban Interface (ignition-resistant materials) | Required for new builds in Wildland-Urban Interface (ignition-resistant materials) |
| AB 38 Sale Inspection | Mandatory at sale on/after July 1, 2021 in High, Very High, or County-defined FHSZ | Mandatory at sale on/after July 1, 2021 in High, Very High, or County-defined FHSZ |
| Enforcement Agency | Santa Barbara County Fire Department Wildland Fire / Defensible Space Inspection Program | Santa Barbara County Fire Department Wildland Fire / Defensible Space Inspection Program |
| Cost Liability | California Health and Safety Code Section 13009 - full suppression cost if your fuel contributes to a fire | California Health and Safety Code Section 13009 - full suppression cost if your fuel contributes to a fire |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Lompoc FAQ
How much brush do I have to clear around my house in Santa Barbara County?
If your structure is in a State Responsibility Area or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (which includes most of unincorporated Santa Barbara County's foothills, Santa Ynez Mountains slopes, Los Padres National Forest interface, Montecito, Mission Canyon, Hope Ranch, Painted Cave, Tepusquet, and the Santa Maria foothills) you must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under Public Resources Code Section 4291. Within the first 30 feet (Zone 1) all dead plants and combustible litter must be removed, gutters cleared, and tree branches trimmed 10 feet from chimneys. From 30 to 100 feet (Zone 2) grass must be kept to 4 inches, dead fuel removed, and trees and shrubs properly spaced (10-15 feet apart). On slopes steeper than 30 percent the County may require clearance up to 200-300 feet.
What happens during a Santa Barbara County defensible-space inspection?
Each spring/early summer, Santa Barbara County Fire Department inspectors visit parcels in High Fire Hazard Areas under the Defensible Space Inspection Program. They walk the 100-foot perimeter of structures (more on steep slopes) and check Zone 1 and Zone 2 standards under Public Resources Code Section 4291 and the County's adopted Fire Code. If you fail, you receive a written notice with a deadline (about three weeks) to clear. If you still fail at re-inspection, the County issues a misdemeanor citation and may have the work done at your expense with a lien on the property. Assistance is available through the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council for seniors, disabled, and low-income residents.
Do I need a defensible-space inspection when I sell my home?
Yes, if your property is in a High, Very High, or County-defined Fire Hazard Severity Zone. AB 38 (codified at California Government Code Section 51182) requires sellers of real property in those zones, on or after July 1, 2021, to provide the buyer at or before close of escrow with documentation showing that the property is in compliance with defensible-space requirements under Public Resources Code Section 4291 (or with the local vegetation-management ordinance, whichever is stricter). In Santa Barbara County the inspection is performed by Santa Barbara County Fire and is documented on a standard form.
Santa Maria FAQ
How much brush do I have to clear around my house in Santa Barbara County?
If your structure is in a State Responsibility Area or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (which includes most of unincorporated Santa Barbara County's foothills, Santa Ynez Mountains slopes, Los Padres National Forest interface, Montecito, Mission Canyon, Hope Ranch, Painted Cave, Tepusquet, and the Santa Maria foothills) you must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under Public Resources Code Section 4291. Within the first 30 feet (Zone 1) all dead plants and combustible litter must be removed, gutters cleared, and tree branches trimmed 10 feet from chimneys. From 30 to 100 feet (Zone 2) grass must be kept to 4 inches, dead fuel removed, and trees and shrubs properly spaced (10-15 feet apart). On slopes steeper than 30 percent the County may require clearance up to 200-300 feet.
What happens during a Santa Barbara County defensible-space inspection?
Each spring/early summer, Santa Barbara County Fire Department inspectors visit parcels in High Fire Hazard Areas under the Defensible Space Inspection Program. They walk the 100-foot perimeter of structures (more on steep slopes) and check Zone 1 and Zone 2 standards under Public Resources Code Section 4291 and the County's adopted Fire Code. If you fail, you receive a written notice with a deadline (about three weeks) to clear. If you still fail at re-inspection, the County issues a misdemeanor citation and may have the work done at your expense with a lien on the property. Assistance is available through the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council for seniors, disabled, and low-income residents.
Do I need a defensible-space inspection when I sell my home?
Yes, if your property is in a High, Very High, or County-defined Fire Hazard Severity Zone. AB 38 (codified at California Government Code Section 51182) requires sellers of real property in those zones, on or after July 1, 2021, to provide the buyer at or before close of escrow with documentation showing that the property is in compliance with defensible-space requirements under Public Resources Code Section 4291 (or with the local vegetation-management ordinance, whichever is stricter). In Santa Barbara County the inspection is performed by Santa Barbara County Fire and is documented on a standard form.
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