San Joaquin County, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

California Public Resources Code §4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. In San Joaquin County this primarily affects the eastern foothill edge around Clements, Lockeford, and the upper Calaveras River watershed. Zone 1 (0–30 feet from the structure) must be lean, clean, and green: remove dead plants, trim tree limbs to 10 feet above chimneys, keep roofs and gutters clear. Zone 2 (30–100 feet) requires reduced fuel: horizontal and vertical plant spacing, grass cut to 4 inches, dead material removed. CAL FIRE conducts annual inspections in SRA areas. On the valley floor, most land is Local Responsibility Area — the County Weed Abatement Program (administered by Code Enforcement under Government Code §§39560–39588 and Health & Safety Code §14875) mandates clearing of weeds and combustibles on parcels that pose a nuisance or fire hazard, with annual notices typically sent in April before the summer fire season. SJVAPCD burn permits are required before any vegetation burning and are often suspended entirely during no-burn days.