Property owners must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under PRC §4291 and Riverside County Ord. 787, with annual inspections by CAL FIRE and the Fire Hazard Reduction Program.
California Public Resources Code §4291 and Riverside County Ordinance No. 787 (weed abatement) require property owners in the State Responsibility Area and Local Responsibility Area VHFHSZ to maintain defensible space around structures. Zone 0 (0-5 ft ember-resistant) must be free of combustibles under AB 3074 implementing rules; Zone 1 (5-30 ft lean, clean, and green) requires removal of dead vegetation, spacing of shrubs, and trimmed tree branches at least 10 feet from chimneys; Zone 2 (30-100 ft reduced fuel) requires horizontal and vertical spacing of brush and trees, grass mowed to 4 inches, and removal of dead fuels. CAL FIRE and the Riverside County Fire Department Hazard Reduction Program conduct annual LE-100 inspections with weed abatement notices issued to non-compliant parcels; if not abated within 30 days the county may perform the work and place a lien on the property for costs plus administrative fees. AB 38 requires defensible-space compliance disclosure on home sales in high-fire areas.
County performs abatement and liens property (often $500-$5,000+ plus fees); CAL FIRE citations up to $500; additional costs if fire occurs.
Riverside County, CA
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See how Riverside County's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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