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

Mono County's communities sit within or near forest, brush, and grass lands subject to wildfire, so the county adopted a local Fire Safe Regulation as Chapter 22 of its General Plan to supplement CAL FIRE's defensible-space program. Section 22.150 requires property to be maintained per Government Code section 51182 and Public Resources Code section 4291. Within 30 feet of an occupied dwelling, all flammable vegetation or combustible growth must be removed to create a 'firebreak' (defined in Section 22.091). From 30 to 100 feet, brush and flammable vegetation must be cleared or thinned to create a 'reduced-fuel zone.' Tree branches must not be within 10 feet of a chimney outlet or stovepipe outlet. Driveways must keep a 7-foot horizontal clearance from the centerline on each side (14 feet total) and 15 feet of vertical clearance, with an added fuel-modification area. These standards apply to new construction approved after October 1, 1991 within State Responsibility Areas (Section 22.030); for existing structures, defensible-space compliance is triggered when an application for a building permit, tentative/parcel map, or use permit is submitted (Section 22.150(4)). Statewide, PRC 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space (or to the property line) around structures in State Responsibility Areas and is enforced by CAL FIRE. Exceptions providing 'equal to or better than' practical effect may be granted by the inspection authority (Section 22.070).