Orange County, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- California Public Resources Code 4291
- Maximum clearance distance
- Up to 100 ft around structures (not beyond property line)
- Zone 0 (ember-resistant)
- 0-5 ft: remove combustible vegetation/mulch
- Zone 1
- 5-30 ft: clear dead vegetation, manage spacing
- Zone 2
- 30-100 ft: reduce grass and ladder fuels
- Sale disclosure
- Defensible Space Disclosure required in High/VHFHSZ (Civ. Code 1102.19)
Summary
In wildfire-prone unincorporated Orange County, owners must maintain defensible space around structures. California Public Resources Code 4291 requires clearance up to 100 feet around buildings, and CAL FIRE's defensible-space framework defines Zone 0 (0-5 ft, ember-resistant), Zone 1 (5-30 ft) and Zone 2 (30-100 ft). OCFA administers inspections in OC's high-hazard areas.
4291. (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, except as provided in subparagraph (B). The amount of fuel modification necessary shall consider the flammability of the structure as affected by building material, building standards, location, and type of vegetation. Fuels shall be maintained and spaced in a condition so that a wildfire would be unlikely to ignite the structure. This subparagraph does not apply to single specimens
Full Breakdown
California Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 4291 requires a property owner to maintain defensible space around buildings and structures in or adjacent to mountainous, forest-covered, brush-covered, or grass-covered land. The clearance requirement extends up to 100 feet from each structure (but not beyond the property line). CAL FIRE and the Board of Forestry divide this defensible space into three zones: Zone 0, the 0-to-5-foot 'ember-resistant zone' immediately around the structure, where combustible vegetation, woodchips, bark, and combustible mulch are to be removed; Zone 1, from 5 to 30 feet, where dead plants, grass, and weeds are cleared and tree/shrub spacing is managed; and Zone 2, from 30 to 100 feet, where grass is kept low and ladder fuels are reduced.
OCFA, which provides fire protection to all unincorporated Orange County, administers vegetation-management and defensible-space inspections in OC's Fire Hazard Severity Zones, including the high-risk canyon communities of Silverado, Modjeska, and Trabuco. 19 requires a Defensible Space Disclosure documenting compliance with PRC 4291 or applicable local vegetation ordinances. OCFA offers an inspection-request map for properties in its mapped high-hazard areas.
Violations & Fines
Failure to maintain defensible space under PRC 4291 can result in inspection notices, abatement orders, and citations from the fire agency having jurisdiction (OCFA in unincorporated OC). Sellers in High/Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones who cannot show compliance may be unable to close escrow without a compliant Defensible Space Disclosure under Civil Code 1102.19. Continued non-compliance can lead to county/agency abatement of the vegetation at the owner's cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much brush do I have to clear around my home?
Who inspects defensible space in unincorporated Orange County?
Do I need anything special to sell a home in a fire zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange County
California rules heatmap·Compare Orange County to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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