Lane County, OR Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Fuel break width
- 100 feet cleared of flammable material
- Applies to
- new dwellings in F-1 and F-2 forest zones
- Water storage minimum
- 1,000 gallons, or well at 20 gpm
- Pump requirement
- at least 20 gallons per minute
- Hose spec
- three-quarter inch minimum inside diameter
- Buffer from neighboring forest land
- 500 feet unless clustering preserves forest
Summary
A new house or mobile home sited in Lane County's Important Forest Land (F-1) or Forest Land (F-2) districts must clear a 100-foot fuel break of flammable material between the dwelling and the forest, plus keep an onsite fire suppression system ready. Lane Code § 10.103-25(1)(d)-(e) sets both as conditions of special-use approval.
Shall maintain a minimum fuel break of 100 feet cleared of flammable material between the dwelling and forest land. Such fuel break shall be continually maintained and may contain ornamental shrubbery, single specimen trees or similar plants used as ground cover, however, the plants should not be a means of rapidly spreading fire. Shall provide a fire suppression system that includes the following: (i) A pond, stream, tank, or sump with storage of not less than 1,000 gallons or well capable of delivering 20 gallons per minute, provided such well is on an independent power system. (ii) A water pump capable of pumping not less than 20 gallons per minute. (iii) Sufficient water outlets, together with serviceable hose not less than three-quarter inch inside diameter and a nozzle to reach the dwelling and nearby improvements.
Full Breakdown
104-25) zoned property, the applicant has to meet siting standards built around fire safety. Subsection (1)(d) requires a minimum 100-foot fuel break cleared of flammable material between the dwelling and the surrounding forest land, and that clearing has to be maintained continuously, not just at construction; the code allows ornamental shrubbery, single specimen trees or similar ground cover inside the break as long as the plantings aren't a means of rapidly spreading fire. The same section also requires the dwelling to sit at least 500 feet from forest or agricultural land the applicant doesn't own, unless clustering the home preserves larger contiguous forest area, and to be placed on the least productive part of the parcel.
Subsection (1)(e) adds an onsite fire suppression system: a pond, stream, tank or sump holding at least 1,000 gallons, or a well delivering at least 20 gallons per minute on an independent power supply; a pump rated for at least 20 gallons per minute; and enough hose, at least three-quarter-inch inside diameter, with a nozzle to reach the dwelling and nearby structures, all kept connected and ready during fire danger periods. Subsection (2) further requires shaded fuel breaks along road rights-of-way, grades and turning radii adequate for emergency equipment, bridge capacity to carry that equipment's weight, and turnarounds on dead-end roads.
Violations & Fines
There's no separate ticket for an unmowed brush strip; the fuel break and suppression system are conditions of the special-use permit itself. Skip them and the county can deny the permit outright, or, if a permit was already issued, treat noncompliance as a failure to comply under Lane Code § 10.990, which routes to an administrative civil penalty under LC 5.025.025 of up to $2,000 per day the violation continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How wide does the fuel break have to be around a rural home in Lane County?
What fire suppression equipment does the county require?
Does this fuel-break rule apply to my whole property?
What happens if I don't maintain the fuel break after I build?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lane County
Compare Lane County to another location·View the Oregon fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.