Bristol, PA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Pennsylvania does not impose a defensible space requirement on private property. Unlike western states, PA has no wildland-urban interface (WUI) code and the wildfire risk profile in Bucks County is moderate rather than extreme. However, overgrown vegetation is regulated through municipal adoption of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) under the PA Uniform Construction Code framework (34 Pa. Code Chapter 403). Most Bucks townships and boroughs have adopted the 2018 or 2021 IPMC, which requires property owners to maintain weeds and plant growth to prevent fire hazards and harborage of rodents. The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry manages wildfire response across state forest lands including portions of Nockamixon State Park and Tyler State Park. Spring wildfire season in PA runs mid-March through late May when leaf litter is dry before green-up; a secondary fall season runs October through November. The Bucks County Conservation District provides guidance on erosion and vegetation management near waterways. DCNR issues open burning advisories during Red Flag conditions. The PA Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) coordinates larger wildfire responses. Municipalities like Upper Makefield Township and Solebury Township, which contain significant wooded acreage along the Delaware River, may issue seasonal burn bans.