Bernalillo County, NM Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum clearance
- 30 to 100 feet by hazard tier
- Tree crown clearance
- 10 feet from structures
- Enforcer
- Bernalillo County Fire Marshal
- Applies in
- Unincorporated county only
- Max penalty
- $300 fine, 90 days jail
Summary
In wildland-urban interface areas, Bernalillo County requires 30 to 100 feet of cleared defensible space around buildings under the county fire code's Appendix M.
M109.2 Fuel Modification. In order to qualify as a conforming defensible space, for individual buildings or structures on a property, fuel modification shall be provided within a distance from buildings or structures as specified in Table M109.2. For all other purposes the fuel modification distance shall not be less than 30 feet or to the property line, whichever is less. ... Table 109.2 ... Moderate Hazard 30 [feet] ... High Hazard 50 [feet] ... Extreme Hazard 100 [feet]
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).
Full Breakdown
Bernalillo County's Wildland Urban Interface Code (adopted as Appendix M of the Bernalillo County Fire Code) requires property owners to modify or remove non-fire-resistive vegetation around buildings in designated wildland-urban interface areas, including the East Mountain area, the Sandia foothills, and a 1,000-foot buffer along the Rio Grande Bosque. The required clearance distance is at least 30 feet in moderate-hazard areas, 50 feet in high-hazard areas, and 100 feet in extreme-hazard areas, and the Fire Code Official can require more based on a site-specific fire protection plan. Tree crowns must be kept at least 10 feet from structures and chimneys, with limbs pruned above 6 feet, and owners must keep dead vegetation and litter cleared from roofs and trees year-round. This applies only in unincorporated Bernalillo County; Albuquerque enforces its own fire code and defensible-space rules.
Violations & Fines
A misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $300, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both, with each 10 days a violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply inside Albuquerque?
How much clearance is required around my house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
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