Santa Cruz, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Santa Cruz County Code Chapter 7.92 incorporates the California Fire Code and adds local vegetation-management requirements. Owners and occupants must cut down and remove weeds, grass, vines, and other ignitable growth that endangers property. A firebreak is required by removing all flammable vegetation and combustible growth for a distance of not less than 30 feet on each side of every building or structure, or to the property line - whichever is nearer; well-pruned specimen trees that do not transmit fire may remain. In the State Responsibility Area (most of the rural Santa Cruz Mountains, regulated by CAL FIRE CZU), Cal. Public Resources Code 4291 extends required defensible space to 100 feet (Zone 1: 0-30 ft 'lean, clean, green'; Zone 2: 30-100 ft reduced fuel). Fire apparatus access roads must be at least 20 feet wide with 15 feet vertical clearance; SRA driveways serving two or fewer homes need at least 12 feet width and 15 ft vertical. CAL FIRE LE-100 inspections and CZU defensible-space inspections occur each spring; the Resource Conservation District chipping program subsidizes vegetation removal.