Santa Maria, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- State law
- California Public Resources Code section 4291
- Applies in city
- Only to LRA parcels in a mapped FHSZ
- Required distance
- 100 feet or to property line
- Zone 0
- 0-5 ft ember-resistant
- Zone 1
- 5-30 ft lean, clean, green
- Zone 2
- 30-100 ft reduced fuel
Summary
Santa Maria sits in the relatively flat Santa Maria Valley, largely outside CAL FIRE's high or very-high Fire Hazard Severity Zones, so the 100-foot defensible-space clearance under California Public Resources Code section 4291 does not blanket-apply within city limits. Properties on the city's east and southeast wildland-urban interface may fall in a designated Local Responsibility Area FHSZ and should consult Santa Maria Fire Prevention.
A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining a mountainous area, forest-covered lands, brush-covered lands, grass-covered lands, or any land that is covered with flammable material, shall at all times do all of the following: (1) 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 paragraph (2).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
California Public Resources Code section 4291 requires owners of property in or adjoining a State Responsibility Area (SRA) or designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in a Local Responsibility Area (LRA) to maintain defensible space of at least 100 feet from each structure or to the property line. Santa Maria is an incorporated city, so its territory is an LRA - PRC 4291 applies only to parcels CAL FIRE has mapped within a Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in the LRA.
CAL FIRE released updated LRA FHSZ maps in 2025; the Office of the State Fire Marshal hosts an address-search viewer for property owners to verify their zone. 040 to order weed abatement when vegetation creates a fire hazard.
Violations & Fines
Failure to maintain defensible space in a designated FHSZ is a violation of PRC section 4291 and can result in CAL FIRE or Santa Maria Fire abatement at the owner's cost plus an administrative fee added to the property tax bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to maintain 100 feet of defensible space at my Santa Maria home?
Where do I check my fire hazard zone?
What if my parcel isn't in a zone but my yard is overgrown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Maria
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Maria to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.