Phoenix does not have a mandatory defensible space or brush clearance ordinance. The city's low-desert urban environment presents minimal wildfire risk. The Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 39) requires properties to be free of dead vegetation and fire hazards. The Phoenix Fire Department conducts fire prevention activities but does not mandate specific brush clearance distances.
Phoenix Fire Code (based on the International Fire Code as adopted) requires property owners to maintain defensible space by clearing dry brush, dead vegetation, and combustible debris from within 30 feet of structures, which is critical during the hot, dry months preceding monsoon season from April through June. The Phoenix Fire Department conducts inspections and can issue violation notices for properties with excessive dry vegetation that creates a fire hazard, particularly in the hillside and desert-edge neighborhoods of north Phoenix, Ahwatukee, and South Mountain. Tumbleweeds, dried landscaping debris, and accumulated palm fronds are common fire hazards in the Sonoran Desert climate and must be removed promptly. Violations may result in abatement at the owner's expense if not corrected within the compliance period. Contact Phoenix Fire Prevention at (602) 262-6011 for brush clearance questions or to report hazardous conditions.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Phoenix code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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