Riverside County, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Brush and weed clearance in unincorporated Riverside County is governed by County Ordinance Nos. 695 and 772 (Hazardous Vegetation / Hazard Reduction) and, for wildland-area structures, by California Public Resources Code 4291. Under Ordinance 695, Riverside County Fire Prevention Technicians annually inspect unimproved parcels in the unincorporated County; owners of targeted parcels receive a Notice of Violation and Order to Abate specifying the clearance method and amount required, generally up to 100 feet from structures on adjoining properties, satisfied by disking, mowing, brush-cutting, and/or handwork plus removal of cut material. PRC 4291 separately requires owners of buildings in State Responsibility Areas (where CAL FIRE provides protection) — and, by companion law, in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones — to maintain defensible space, now structured as three zones: Zone 0 (the 0–5-foot ember-resistant zone, kept clear of combustibles), Zone 1 (5–30 feet, with trees pruned and canopies generally spaced about 10 feet apart), and Zone 2 (30–100 feet, reduced fuel density). The total managed space extends to 100 feet or the property line, whichever is closer. CAL FIRE (the Riverside County Fire Department is contracted with CAL FIRE) enforces PRC 4291 in SRA lands. Because much of the unincorporated County is brush-covered foothill and mountain terrain, defensible-space compliance is critical.