Santa Cruz County, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Because most of unincorporated Santa Cruz County lies in High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, defensible space is mandatory. Under California Public Resources Code 4291, owners of buildings in State Responsibility Area / fire-hazard land must maintain 100 feet of defensible space (or to the property line) around structures. Fire-safe practice uses three zones: Zone 0 (0-5 feet, ember-resistant - remove mulch, woodpiles, and woody plants next to the structure), Zone 1 (5-30 feet - remove flammable vegetation, keep grass low), and Zone 2 (30-100 feet - clear dead leaves and branches, space remaining shrubs and trees). Santa Cruz County's hazardous-vegetation abatement rules also require clearing flammable vegetation along access roads and driveways - generally a strip at least 10 feet wide beyond the road shoulder and trimmed to about 15 feet of vertical clearance - so fire apparatus can pass. Central Fire District guidance also directs owners to keep woodpiles and LPG (propane) tanks at least 30 feet from structures, trim limbs at least 10 feet from chimneys, remove limbs overhanging roofs, and post address numbers at least 4 inches tall. Fire districts inspect designated High Fire Hazard areas each spring; non-compliance can lead to administrative citations and, ultimately, abatement by the jurisdiction at the owner's expense via a lien.