Richmond, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Requirements
- 100-ft defensible space required under PRC 4291 in VHFHSZ only
- Most Richmond
- Most of Richmond is flatland, exempt from PRC 4291
- Sobrante hills,
- El Sobrante hills, Hilltop slopes, Point Richmond ridges may be mapped VHFHSZ
- Zoning/Setbacks
- Zone 1 (0–30 ft) and Zone 2 (30–100 ft) have distinct rules
- Zoning/Setbacks
- Zone 0 ember-resistant zone phasing in under AB 3074
Summary
California Public Resources Code 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Portions of Richmond's hillside neighborhoods (El Sobrante hills, Hilltop, Point Richmond ridges) fall within CAL FIRE-mapped VHFHSZ areas and must comply; flatland areas are exempt.
(a) A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in the state responsibility area shall at all times do all of the following:
(1) (A) Maintain defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, but not beyond the property line, except as provided in subparagraph (B). The amount of fuel modification necessary shall consider the flammability of the structure as affected by building material, building standards, location, and type of vegetation. Fuels shall be maintained and spaced in a condition so that a wildfire would be unlikely to ignite the structure. This subparagraph does not apply to single specimens of trees or other vegetation that are well-pruned and maintained so as to effectively manage fuels and not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from other nearby vegetation to a structure or from a structure to other nearby vegetation or to interrupt the advance of embers toward a structure. The intensity of fuels management may vary within the 100-foot perimeter of the structure, with more intense fuel reductions being utilized between 5 and 30 feet around the structure, and an ember-resistant zone being required within 5 feet of the structure, based on regulations promulgated by the board, in consultation with the department, to consider the elimination of materials in the ember-resistant zone that would likely be ignited by embers.
(2) Remove that portion of a tree that extends within 10 feet of the outlet of a chimney or stovepipe.
(3) Maintain a tree, shrub, or other plant adjacent to or overhanging a building free of dead or dying wood.
(4) Maintain the roof of a structure free of leaves, needles, or other vegetative materials.
Full Breakdown
California Public Resources Code Section 4291 mandates 100 feet of defensible space around habitable structures in State Responsibility Areas and in Local Responsibility Area Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones designated by CAL FIRE. The defensible space is divided into two zones: Zone 1 (0–30 feet from structure) requires near-total removal of dead vegetation, trimmed tree branches at least 10 feet from chimneys, and spacing between shrubs; Zone 2 (30–100 feet) requires grass cut to 4 inches, 10-foot horizontal spacing between tree canopies, and removal of ladder fuels.
Most of Richmond is flatland and NOT in a mapped VHFHSZ, so PRC 4291 does not apply to the majority of parcels. However, the 2022 CAL FIRE LRA VHFHSZ update flagged portions of the El Sobrante foothills, some slopes above Hilltop, and ridge areas near Point Richmond. Homeowners in those mapped zones must comply and are subject to inspection by Richmond Fire Department. Non-compliance can result in a notice-to-abate, with the city performing the work and recording a lien against the property. Zone 0 (0–5 feet, 'ember-resistant zone') is being phased in under AB 3074 (regulations pending CAL FIRE rulemaking as of 2025) and will prohibit combustible materials immediately adjacent to structures. Home-hardening measures (Class A roofing, ember-resistant vents, metal gutters) complement defensible space and may be required for rebuilds in fire zones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Richmond home in a fire hazard zone?
Who inspects defensible space in Richmond?
What happens if I don't clear my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richmond
California rules heatmap·Compare Richmond to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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