Sonora, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Tuolumne County sits in CAL FIRE's State Responsibility Area (SRA) and large portions of Sonora are mapped in High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, so the city's defensible space rules sit on top of California Public Resources Code Section 4291, which already requires 100 feet of defensible space in the SRA. Sonora's local ordinance (effective 30 days after passage on June 3, 2019) creates two enforceable zones: an inner 30-foot zone where flammable vegetation must be removed, and an outer reduced fuel zone from 30 to 100 feet (or to the property line, whichever is closer) where trees and shrubs must be spaced and pruned so fire cannot transfer between fuel sources. A 10-foot reduced fuel zone is also required along any property line that borders a building or an exit/evacuation route. The ordinance does not require removal of ornamental trees, shrubs, plants, or lawns of reasonable growth, and it does not require clearing material that obstructs sidewalks or streets. Inspections and complaints go through the Sonora Fire Department at 201 S. Shepherd Street.