Anaheim, CA Environmental Rules: Defensible Space (2026)
Key Facts
- WUI Fire Area boundary
- East of SR-55, south of SR-91
- Zone source
- CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map
- Vegetation standard
- Fire Code §307.7
- Enforcement
- Building Official, Code Enforcement, Fire Chief
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000/10 days
- Exclusion petition
- City Council, Secs. 16.40.040-.050
Summary
Anaheim's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, mapped by CAL FIRE under Municipal Code Section 16.40.020, and its Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area east of SR-55 and south of SR-91 carry a mandatory vegetation-management standard: new landscaping must reduce non-fire-resistant plants near structures under Fire Code Section 307.7, enforced by Anaheim Fire & Rescue.
307.6 Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area. All of the area within the City of Anaheim located east of the Costa Mesa Freeway (SR-55) and south of the Riverside Freeway (SR-91) is hereby designated a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area and shall comply with the provisions of this chapter. ... 307.7 General. Planting of vegetation for new landscaping shall be selected to reduce non-fire-resistant vegetation in proximity to a structure and to maintain vegetation as it matures, in accordance with this section and Anaheim Fire & Rescue's Brush Clearance and Vegetative Growth Guideline.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-28: Code: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026 | Zoning: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026).
Full Breakdown
5, and Public Resources Code Sections 4201-4204. 7, requiring that new landscaping be selected to reduce non-fire-resistant vegetation near structures and be maintained as it matures, consistent with Anaheim Fire & Rescue's Brush Clearance and Vegetative Growth Guideline. 080. 060.
Violations & Fines
Fire Code violations, including failing the Section 307.7 vegetation standard, are misdemeanors under the amended Section 113.4: a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment up to 10 days, or both, with each day a violation continues after notice treated as a separate offense. The Building Official, Code Enforcement, and Anaheim Fire & Rescue can each issue notices and pursue abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Anaheim's Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area?
Do I have to clear brush around my Anaheim home?
Can my Anaheim property be removed from the fire hazard zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anaheim
California rules heatmap·Compare Anaheim to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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How other cities in Orange County handle defensible space.