Property owners within Ventura's High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones must MAINTAIN (not clear-cut) 100 ft of defensible space around structures by June 1 each year, under the City's Fire Hazard Reduction Program (FHRP) and Public Resources Code §4291. All dead and dying vegetation must be removed per California Fire Code standards. The program is authorized by California Fire Code, California Government Code, California Public Resources Code, and the Natural Resources Code. Annual billing was cancelled in December 2022 — there is no longer a program fee — but the maintenance obligation and inspection process continue.
The City of Ventura runs the Fire Hazard Reduction Program (FHRP) under authority of the California Fire Code (CFC Chapter 49 — Wildland-Urban Interface), Public Resources Code §4291 (statewide 100-ft defensible space in State Responsibility Areas and on parcels within Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in Local Responsibility Areas), Government Code §51182, and the Natural Resources Code. Parcels in the City's mapped High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) must maintain 100 ft of defensible space around every structure. The City stresses MAINTAIN — meaning thinning, pruning, removing dead/dying vegetation, raking up flammable debris, and creating fuel breaks — not complete clearance, which would cause erosion. The deadline is June 1 annually. The City conducts inspections; passing inspections require no further action. Receiving a courtesy notice is not a citation — it is a maintenance reminder. In December 2022 the City Council cancelled the FHRP billing program and refunded previously paid fees. Non-compliant parcels remain subject to abatement under the California Fire Code and Government Code §51182, including the City performing the work and recording a lien for cost recovery. Ventura is in a wildland-urban interface area with documented Santa Ana-driven fire history (Thomas Fire 2017, in adjacent areas).
Non-compliance can result in city-ordered abatement; the City may perform the work and assess costs against the property as a lien under Government Code §51186 and CFC §304.1.2. Civil penalties under PRC §4291.3 (up to $100 for a first violation, up to $500 for second within 5 years, and up to $500/day for ongoing non-compliance after notice). Misdemeanor enforcement is also available under SBMC §1.200.010 (up to $1,000 / 6 months).
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