King County, WA Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- K.C.C. § 16.82.051
- No-permit clearing
- Within 15 ft of home, no permit
- Extended clearing
- Up to 100 ft with risk assessment
- Coverage
- Unincorporated King County only
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Local Services, Permitting Division
Summary
Unincorporated King County allows limited tree and brush clearing near homes for wildfire preparedness without a clearing and grading permit, including clearing up to 100 feet with a professional wildfire risk assessment.
Clearing for the purposes of wildfire preparedness that does not otherwise require another permit and that is not subject to K.C.C. 16.82.156 or K.C.C. Title 21A, as follows:
a. understory clearing within fifteen feet of a residential structure containing habitable space or an attached deck;
b. understory clearing and tree removal and pruning within ten feet of an installed aboveground nonportable liquefied petroleum gas tank;
c. within thirty feet of a residential structure containing habitable space, understory clearing and tree pruning underneath a tree crown to provide up to ten feet of vertical clearance from the ground to remove ladder fuels. Tree pruning shall not exceed one-third of the tree height;
d. within thirty feet of a residential structure containing habitable space, tree removal and pruning to provide up to fifteen feet of vertical clearance over driveways and roads used for emergency vehicle access;
e. within thirty feet of a residential structure containing habitable space, tree removal and pruning to provide up to eighteen feet between tree crowns;
f. tree removal and pruning to provide up to ten feet between tree crowns and decks, chimneys, overhead communication cables and electrical wires, or other structures; and
Full Breakdown
King County Code § 16.82.051 exempts defensible-space clearing from the clearing and grading permit otherwise required countywide. In unincorporated areas homeowners can clear understory within 15 feet of a habitable structure or deck, remove ladder fuels within 30 feet, and cut wider crown spacing near driveways and emergency access. Clearing up to 100 feet from the structure is allowed only if backed by a wildfire risk assessment from a certified professional or a Department of Natural Resources and Parks-approved forest stewardship plan. The exemption applies only outside Title 21A critical areas and the significant-tree rules of K.C.C. 16.82.156. It covers unincorporated King County only, not Seattle, Bellevue, or other incorporated cities, which enforce their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Clearing beyond these limits without a permit triggers Title 16 corrective-action orders: King County can block other permits, require site restoration, and pursue Title 23 code-enforcement penalties until compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this cover Seattle or other King County cities?
Do I need a permit to clear brush near my house for wildfire safety?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in King County
Compare King County to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
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