San Jose properties in mapped Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, including Almaden Valley and Coyote Valley, must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around structures under California Public Resources Code §4291, with annual San Jose Fire Department inspections.
California PRC §4291 mandates 100 feet of defensible space around structures in State Responsibility Areas and Local Responsibility Area Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The clearance is structured as Zone 0 (0–5 ft, ember-resistant noncombustible), Zone 1 (5–30 ft, lean and green with irrigated low-fuel plants), and Zone 2 (30–100 ft, reduced-fuel transition). San Jose Fire Department's Wildland Section inspects mapped hillside parcels in Almaden, Alum Rock foothills, and Coyote Valley each spring before fire season. Owners must remove dead vegetation, prune limbs from chimneys, and clear roofs and gutters of combustible debris.
After a notice to abate, failure to clear triggers contractor abatement billed to the property as a tax lien, plus administrative penalties up to $1,000 per parcel and possible Cal Fire citations.
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San Jose, CA
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