Ventura, CA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies in
- Mapped High/Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Bare soil clearance
- 10 feet around tank
- Vegetation buffer
- Additional 10 feet, no flammable growth
- State cross-reference
- 14 CCR § 1299.03(c)(1)
- Enforcement
- Fire code official, Ch. 8.10 abatement
Summary
In High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within the City of Ventura, Appendix Section J105.3 of the wildland-urban interface code amendments requires outbuildings and liquid propane gas storage tanks to keep 10 feet of clearance to bare mineral soil, plus an additional 10 feet free of flammable vegetation around their exterior.
F105.3 Other Requirements. A. Logs/Stumps. Logs or stumps embedded in the soil must be removed or isolated from other vegetation. B. Out Buildings/LPG. Outbuildings and Liquid Propane Gas (LPG) storage tanks shall have 10 feet of clearance to bare mineral soil and no flammable vegetation for an additional 10 feet around their exterior, pursuant to 14 CCR Section 1299.03(c)(1).
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-008, passed May 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
165 by Ordinance No. 3). 03(c)(1). 1 designates as High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones on the city's adopted CAL FIRE map, not citywide; a propane tank outside a mapped fire hazard severity zone is not covered by this appendix. The same appendix section pairs the propane clearance rule with two neighboring outbuilding duties: address numbers must be displayed in contrasting colors and readable from the street, and chimney or stovepipe openings need spark arrester screens with openings between three-eighths and one-half inch. 10 timeframes described in Section J106.
Violations & Fines
A propane or LPG storage tank within a mapped High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone that lacks the required 10-foot bare-mineral-soil clearance and 10-foot flammable-vegetation buffer can be cited by the fire code official as part of the Appendix J fire-hazard-abatement process, with the parcel subject to a written correction order and the abatement timeframes in Chapter 8.10 of the municipal code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ventura regulate how close a propane tank can be to vegetation?
Is my propane tank covered if I'm not in a fire hazard zone?
What happens if my propane tank doesn't have the required clearance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura
California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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