San Bernardino, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Large portions of northern San Bernardino, including the foothill neighborhoods below the San Bernardino National Forest, are mapped by CAL FIRE as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ). Within these zones, California Public Resources Code Section 4291 requires property owners to create and maintain 100 feet of defensible space around every habitable structure. The 100-foot zone is divided into two parts. Zone 1 runs from the structure out 30 feet and must be kept lean, clean, and green, with dead vegetation removed, lawns mowed to four inches or less, and tree limbs trimmed six feet above the ground. Zone 2 extends from 30 feet to 100 feet and may retain native vegetation, but brush must be thinned so horizontal spacing equals twice the height of the plant, and tree canopies must be separated by at least 10 feet. Assembly Bill 3074, signed in 2020, added a new Zone 0 ember-resistant zone from zero to five feet, which CAL FIRE began enforcing through regulations adopted in 2023 and 2024. Zone 0 must be free of combustible materials including wood mulch, dead plants, wood fencing attached to the home, and stored firewood. The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District conducts annual Hazard Abatement inspections each April through June. Failure to comply triggers a Notice to Abate; if the owner does not clear the hazard, the county performs the work and bills the property at cost plus administrative fees, which can become a lien.