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

San Jose includes substantial wildland-urban interface (WUI) acreage on its eastern and southern edges, including the Diablo foothills above Alum Rock, the Evergreen hills, and the Almaden and Silver Creek valley rims. Property owners in State Responsibility Areas and Local Responsibility Area Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones must comply with California Public Resources Code §4291, which mandates 100 feet of defensible space. Zone 0 (0-5 feet from structures) must be ember-resistant with no combustible mulch, no wood fencing directly attached, and no stored items under decks. Zone 1 (5-30 feet) requires widely spaced landscaping, removal of dead vegetation, and tree-limb clearance from the ground. Zone 2 (30-100 feet) allows native vegetation but requires grass mowed to 4 inches, spacing between shrub clusters, and limbs trimmed 6 feet above ground. San Jose Fire inspects properties annually and issues compliance notices; failure to correct within the posted deadline (often 15-30 days) triggers contractor abatement at the owner's cost plus administrative fee. AB 38 applies when selling property in these zones: a home-hardening disclosure and proof of compliance must be provided to buyers. Roadside fuel clearance of 10 feet on both sides of driveways is required for fire access. Pile burning is prohibited except under specific permits during declared burn days.