Palm Springs, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Clearance zone
- 10 feet each side of roadway
- Measured from
- Flowline or improved roadway edge
- Authority
- Fire Code Official (PSFD)
- Exception
- Single ornamental trees, ground covers
- Related rule
- § 324 fuel modification, new construction
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Palm Springs Fire Code Section 325 lets the Fire Code Official require flammable vegetation and other combustible growth cleared for 10 feet on each side of any highway or private street used for vehicular traffic, measured from the flowline or improved edge, with a narrow exception for single ornamental trees, shrubs and ground covers.
Section 325 Clearance of Brush or Vegetation Growth from Roadways 325.1 Clearance of Brush or Vegetation Growth from Roadways. The Fire Code Official is authorized to cause areas within 10 feet (3,048 mm) on each side of portions of highways and private streets which are improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular traffic to be cleared of flammable vegetation and other combustible growth. Measurement shall be from the flowline or the end of the improved edge of the roadway surfaces. Exception: Single specimens of trees, ornamental shrubbery or cultivated ground cover such as green grass, ivy, succulents or similar plants used as ground covers, provided that they do not form a means of readily transmitting fire.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4923139; v14 updated 2026-06-24).
Full Breakdown
" The 10-foot zone is measured from the flowline or the end of the improved roadway edge, not the property line, so it can reach onto adjacent private parcels bordering a road. A narrow exception preserves single specimen trees, ornamental shrubbery and cultivated ground cover such as green grass, ivy or succulents, provided they don't form a means of readily transmitting fire. " Section 326, Unusual Circumstances, lets the Fire Code Official suspend or modify the clearance requirement where difficult terrain, erosion risk, state or federally listed rare or endangered plants, or heritage tree stands make strict compliance impractical.
3, Vegetation, makes owners and occupants responsible for cutting and removing weeds, grass, vines or other ignitable growth on their own land whenever the Fire Code Official determines it endangers property, with fuel-modification-area vegetation held to the same Appendix S standards. Enforcement runs through the Palm Springs Fire Department, which can post an official notice or make a public announcement that triggers compliance duties under these sections.
Violations & Fines
Because Chapter 1's own Fire Code violations section (109) was not adopted locally, roadway and vegetation clearance violations fall under the citywide penalty framework in Municipal Code Section 1.01.140: a first offense is charged as a misdemeanor unless the city attorney or a citing enforcement officer elects to charge it as an infraction. Infractions carry fines up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each further offense (Section 1.01.155); misdemeanors carry up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both (Section 1.01.160). Each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back from a road must brush be cleared in Palm Springs?
Are any plants exempt from the roadway clearance rule?
What happens if I refuse to clear vegetation the Fire Department flagged?
Can the clearance requirement be waived for terrain or protected plants?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Springs
California rules heatmap·Compare Palm Springs to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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Brush Clearance in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle brush clearance.