Westminster, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Because Westminster is a built-out, flat city in coastal Orange County with no significant wildland-urban interface, it does not impose the 100-foot defensible-space brush-clearance requirements seen in foothill and canyon communities (those derive from California Public Resources Code section 4291 and apply in high-fire-hazard zones). Westminster does, however, require property owners to keep vegetation under control through its nuisance code. Municipal Code Chapter 8.20 (Nuisances), at Section 8.20.030, declares it a public nuisance to maintain vegetation—including trees, weeds, shrubbery, and grass, cultivated or uncultivated—that is overgrown, dead, decayed, or diseased in a way that harbors rats, vermin, or insects or otherwise threatens public health and safety. It is unlawful for any owner, lessee, or occupant to allow the conditions listed in Section 8.20.030 to exist. The code also reaches accumulations of rubbish, dead vegetation, and landscape trimmings on residential property. When a property is not maintained, the city follows a notice-and-hearing abatement process; if the owner fails to correct the condition, Westminster may abate it and place a lien on the property to recover its costs. Owners remain responsible regardless of any agreement with a tenant or third party.