Butte County, CA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Butte County Code § 38A-6(a)(5)
- Propane tank clearance
- 10 ft to bare mineral soil
- Added vegetation buffer
- 10 ft, no flammable plants
- Also covers
- Outbuildings under 120 sq ft
- Urban-parcel add-on
- 10 ft around fuel/power sources
- Enforced under
- § 38A-5 infraction fines
Summary
Butte County Code Section 38A-6(a)(5) requires every liquid propane gas storage tank in the unincorporated area to keep a ten-foot firebreak cleared to bare mineral soil, plus an additional ten feet with no flammable vegetation around the tank's exterior. The same clearance applies to small outbuildings under 120 square feet, and urban parcels must extend a similar buffer to power poles and other fuel sources.
(5)Outbuildings less than one hundred-twenty (120) square feet in size and liquid propane gas storage tanks shall have a ten (10) foot firebreak or clearance to bare mineral soil and no flammable vegetation for an additional ten (10) feet around their exterior.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).
Full Breakdown
Section 38A-6(a)(5) of the county's defensible space chapter singles out liquid propane gas storage tanks alongside small outbuildings: both must have a ten-foot firebreak or clearance down to bare mineral soil, with an additional ten feet kept free of flammable vegetation around the tank's exterior. The requirement sits inside the broader Zone 0/1/2 defensible space scheme created by Chapter 38A after the 2018 Camp Fire, and it applies to any parcel in the unincorporated area regardless of whether the parcel is otherwise improved.
For parcels the code classifies as 'urban,' meaning those inside the spheres of influence of Biggs, Chico, Gridley, Oroville and Paradise, or within specified subdivisions in Palermo and North Chico, Section 38A-6(a)(10)(c) goes further: utility generators, privately owned power poles, and petroleum-based products such as gasoline, diesel and liquid propane must each keep a firebreak of no less than ten feet in every direction, above and below, measured out from any connection or ground-contact point. Wood piles near a propane tank must also be fully covered in fire-resistant material or moved to Zone 2, with a minimum ten-foot clearance down to bare mineral soil in every direction. The Fire Chief and the Development Services Code Enforcement Division administer the standard, and a Notice to Abate Fire Hazard under Section 38A-7 gives an owner at least thirty days to bring an uncleared tank into compliance before a citation issues under Section 38A-5.
Violations & Fines
A propane tank or outbuilding without its required ten-foot clearance is treated as a Chapter 38A firebreak violation under Section 38A-5: an infraction fine of up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second violation within twelve months, and $500 for each further violation, with misdemeanor charges possible after three convictions in a year. The county can also abate the hazard itself and bill the owner, or seek an administrative civil penalty of up to $1,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much clearance does a propane tank need in Butte County?
Does the propane clearance rule apply everywhere in the county?
What happens if my propane tank does not have the required clearance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Butte County
California rules heatmap·Compare Butte County to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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