Wilmington Code Ch. 13 (Fire) and Ch. 21 (Housing) require property owners to clear dry brush, weeds, and combustible vegetation that pose a fire hazard. Wilmington Fire Department inspectors enforce hazard abatement.
Wilmington Fire Department (WFD) and the Department of Licenses & Inspections enforce brush clearance under Ch. 13 (Fire) and Ch. 21 (Housing Code). Vacant lots, rear yards, and alleys must be kept free of dry vegetation, leaf piles, and combustible debris that could ignite from cigarettes or fireworks. The Delaware State Fire Marshal also adopts the International Fire Code, which sets defensible-space-style standards for properties adjacent to wooded areas. Wilmington's urban density makes wildfire risk lower than rural Delaware, but row-house alley fires remain a real concern.
WFD or L&I issue clearance orders; failure to comply leads to abatement at owner's expense plus fines under the housing code.
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See how Wilmington's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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