Hemet, CA Environmental Rules: Defensible Space (2026)
Key Facts
- Upslope clearance
- 30-100 ft by hazard zone
- Across-slope clearance
- 60-200 ft by hazard zone
- Downslope clearance
- 100-300 ft by hazard zone
- Applies to
- Existing development, immediately
Summary
In Hemet's wildland interface zones, property owners must clear and thin native vegetation around structures to distances of 30 to 300 feet depending on slope direction and fire hazard severity.
Clear and thin all native vegetation in proximity to windows and other openings and to the following distances based on: Fire hazard severity zones:a.Upslope: moderate, 30 feet; high, 60 feet; extreme, 100 feet.b.Across slope: moderate, 60 feet; high, 100 feet; extreme, 200 feet.c.Downslope: moderate, 100 feet; high, 200 feet; extreme, 300 feet.(2)Provide plants that have been tested and proved to have significant fire retardant qualities (see "Exhibit D"). (Ord. No. 1453, § 6, 10-13-92)
Editor's note— Exhibit D referenced in subsection (2) above is not set out at length herein, but is on file and available for inspection in the offices of the city clerk and the planning department.
Secs. 14-422—14-470. - Reserved.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 69 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Hemet City Code § 14-421(1) requires clearing and thinning of native vegetation near windows and other openings to fixed distances that scale with fire hazard severity zone and slope: upslope, 30 feet (moderate) to 100 feet (extreme); across slope, 60 feet (moderate) to 200 feet (extreme); downslope, 100 feet (moderate) to 300 feet (extreme). The section also directs use of fire-retardant plant species tested and approved by the city. This clearance requirement applies to existing development immediately, ahead of the article's other, phased-in wildfire standards.
Violations & Fines
Existing development must meet the clearance distances immediately under § 14-417(3); noncompliance is enforced as a fire-safety violation by the fire chief and building official.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far from my house does brush have to be cleared in Hemet?
Does the clearance rule apply to homes built before the ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hemet
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