Orlando, FL Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Unlike California or Colorado, Florida does not impose a statewide minimum defensible-space distance for residential lots. Orlando regulates vegetation primarily through City Code Chapter 60 (Property Maintenance) and lot-clearing nuisance provisions, which require owners to keep grass under 12 inches and remove dead trees, accumulated yard waste, and overgrown vegetation that creates a fire or sanitation hazard. The Florida Forest Service promotes Firewise USA principles for neighborhoods bordering pine flatwoods, palmetto scrub, or conservation easements common in Central Florida; recommended actions include removing dead palm fronds, pruning lower branches of pine trees, raking pine straw away from foundations, and using non-combustible mulch within five feet of structures. The dry season runs roughly January through May, when low humidity and freeze-killed vegetation elevate wildfire risk. During declared burn bans, accumulated debris cannot be burned and must be hauled away or chipped. Orlando offers free yard waste pickup on regular collection days for bagged or bundled material.