Maricopa, AZ Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

The City of Maricopa's nuisance and property-maintenance code requires owners and tenants to keep property free of litter, weeds, filth, and debris at all times. The code defines 'weeds' to include any uncultivated vegetation of a combustible nature with an associated fire hazard that cannot be reasonably contained on the property - specifically dried grass higher than six inches, other dried vegetation higher than six inches, tumbleweeds, branches or clippings, or dead trees, bushes, or shrubs. This six-inch threshold for dried vegetation is the city's enforceable brush-clearance standard and is aimed squarely at reducing wildfire fuel on vacant lots and residential yards in Maricopa's dry Sonoran Desert setting. If a property is not maintained, the city's Code Enforcement / abatement process applies: the Abatement Officer issues an Order of Abatement, and after ten days have elapsed the officer may enter the property and remove the rubbish, trash, weeds, debris, or dilapidated structures. The cost of that abatement is then assessed against the property owner. Beyond the code minimum, the Maricopa Fire/Medical Department and Arizona fire agencies recommend creating defensible space - removing dry fuel near structures, using fire-resistant plants, and keeping landscaping and debris trimmed back - to lower wildfire ignition risk. Contact the city's Code Enforcement division to report overgrown or hazardous lots.