Sonoma County, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Chapter 13A of the Sonoma County Code was enacted by Ordinance 6148 (and subsequently amended) to implement California Public Resources Code Section 4291 and Title 14 California Code of Regulations Sections 1299.01-1299.05 ('General Guidelines to Create Defensible Space'). Property owners must create and maintain two zones around any structure: Zone 1, the 'lean, clean and green' zone from 0-30 feet (or to property line), kept clear of dead vegetation, with tree canopies trimmed and combustible materials moved away from walls; and Zone 2, the 'reduced fuels' zone from 30-100 feet (or to property line), where annual grasses are mowed below 4 inches, brush is thinned, ladder fuels are removed, and tree-canopy separation is maintained. An additional 10-foot horizontal clearance is required along each side of driveways and county-maintained roads, plus 13'6'' vertical overhead clearance for emergency-vehicle access. Inspections are conducted by Permit Sonoma's Fire Prevention Division (typically May through October). A failed first inspection gives the owner 30 calendar days to comply; a failed re-inspection allows 15 calendar days to either remediate or request a written administrative hearing. Re-inspection fees apply even if work is completed by the deadline. If the owner does not abate, the County may contract the work and bill the owner, with unpaid charges recorded as a special assessment / lien against the parcel under California Government Code Section 39581 and Sonoma County Code Chapter 13A. The ordinance was significantly tightened after the 2017 Tubbs, 2019 Kincade, and 2020 Glass/Walbridge fires destroyed thousands of homes in Sonoma County.