Santa Clara County, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Defensible space required
- 100 feet (PRC 4291)
- Zone 0 (ember-resistant)
- 0-5 feet around the home (CAL FIRE)
- Grass height
- Mowed low (CAL FIRE: ~4-inch max)
- Chimney clearance
- Tree limbs cleared within 10 feet
- Inspections
- County fire marshal under SB 63 program
Summary
Properties in unincorporated Santa Clara County must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under California Public Resources Code 4291. The county fire marshal inspects, and annual grasses must be cut low. Requirements are enforced especially in the wildfire-prone Santa Cruz Mountains and Diablo Range foothills.
(a) A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in the state responsibility area shall at all times do all of the following: (1)(A) Maintain defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, but not beyond the property line... The intensity of fuels management may vary within the 100-foot perimeter of the structure, with more intense fuel reductions being utilized between 5 and 30 feet around the structure, and an ember-resistant zone being required within 5 feet of the structure.
Full Breakdown
Most of unincorporated Santa Clara County is wildland or wildland-urban interface, and property owners must create defensible space under California Public Resources Code (PRC) 4291. The law requires clearing flammable vegetation for 100 feet around buildings and structures (or to the property line). The Santa Clara County Fire Department instructs owners to 'create a defensible space around all structures by clearing flammable vegetation to a minimum of 100 feet or to the property line,' remove tree limbs within 10 feet of chimneys and stovepipes, and clear pine needles and leaves from roofs, eaves, and gutters.
CAL FIRE's defensible-space framework divides the 100 feet into zones: an ember-resistant 0-5 foot Zone 0 immediately around the home, a 'lean, clean and green' 5-30 foot Zone 1, and a reduced-fuel 30-100 foot Zone 2; annual grasses must be mowed to a low height (CAL FIRE specifies a 4-inch maximum). Senate Bill 63 created a Defensible Space Inspection Program (effective 2022) that empowers local fire marshals in high-risk areas to inspect properties and issue administrative notices requiring vegetation management within set timeframes. The county fire marshal carries out these inspections in unincorporated areas. and never running mowers or string trimmers over dry grass, which can throw sparks.
Violations & Fines
Failure to maintain required defensible space can result in a fire-marshal inspection notice, an order to abate, and potential abatement by the agency at the owner's cost, plus penalties under PRC 4291 and SB 63 enforcement. Non-compliance also undermines wildfire insurance eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much defensible space do I need around my home?
Will the county actually inspect my property for brush clearance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clara County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clara County to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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