Temecula, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Measurement
- 100 ft defensible space required by CA PRC §4291
- Measurement
- Zone 0 (0-5 ft): no combustibles per AB 3074
- Authority
- Zone 1 (5-30 ft): irrigated low fuel, tree spacing 10 ft
- Measurement
- Zone 2 (30-100 ft): grass <4 inches, brush spacing 10 ft
- Fees
- Non-compliance: city abatement + lien for cost + 25% admin fee
Summary
Temecula requires defensible space clearance around all structures in or adjacent to wildland areas, following California Public Resources Code §4291. Property owners must maintain 100 feet of cleared, lean-and-green space (Zones 0, 1, and 2). Riverside County Fire (CAL FIRE) and Temecula Code Enforcement inspect annually; non-compliance triggers abatement and lien recovery.
4291.
(a) A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in the state responsibility area shall at all times do all of the following:
(1) (A) 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 subparagraph (B). The amount of fuel modification necessary shall consider the flammability of the structure as affected by building material, building standards, location, and type of vegetation. Fuels shall be maintained and spaced in a condition so that a wildfire would be unlikely to ignite the structure. This subparagraph does not apply to single specimens of trees or other vegetation that are well-pruned and maintained so as to effectively manage fuels and not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from other nearby vegetation to a structure or from a structure to other nearby vegetation or to interrupt the advance of embers toward a structure. The intensity of fuels management may vary within the 100-foot perimeter of the structure, with more intense fuel reductions being utilized between 5 and 30 feet around the structure, and an ember-resistant zone being required within 5 feet of the structure, based on regulations promulgated by the board, in consultation with the department, to consider the elimination of materials in the ember-resistant zone that would likely be ignited by embers.
(2) Remove that portion of a tree that extends within 10 feet of the outlet of a chimney or stovepipe.
(3) Maintain a tree, shrub, or other plant adjacent to or overhanging a building free of dead or dying wood.
(4) Maintain the roof of a structure free of leaves, needles, or other vegetative materials.
Full Breakdown
Under California Public Resources Code §4291, every property owner of a structure in or within 100 feet of a State Responsibility Area or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone must maintain defensible space. Temecula, served by Riverside County Fire under contract with CAL FIRE, enforces the standard rigorously: Zone 0 (0-5 ft, 'ember-resistant zone') under AB 3074 requires removing all combustibles immediately adjacent to the structure including bark mulch, woody plants, dead vegetation, and combustible furniture/debris from decks. Zone 1 (5-30 ft, 'lean and green') requires irrigated, low-fuel landscaping with 10 ft spacing between tree crowns, removal of dead branches, and limbing trees to 6 ft above ground.
Zone 2 (30-100 ft, 'reduced fuel zone') requires grass mowed to 4 inches or less, 10 ft horizontal spacing between brush clusters, and removal of dead vegetation and ladder fuels. CAL FIRE sends notice with re-inspection deadlines (typically 30 days). Failure to comply results in city/county abatement contractor performing the work, with charges plus 25% admin fee billed to the property and recorded as a lien if unpaid. Critical for Temecula's WUI areas: De Luz boundary, Roripaugh Ranch hills, Chardonnay Hills, Crowne Hill, and any property near Cleveland NF or south of Pechanga.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much defensible space do I need around my Temecula home?
What happens if I do not clear brush in Temecula?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Temecula
California rules heatmap·Compare Temecula 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.
Brush Clearance in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle brush clearance.