Shasta County, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Weed abatement in unincorporated Shasta County is primarily a fire-safety function. County Code Chapter 8.10, 'Defensible Space for Fire Protection,' declares that the accumulation of combustible vegetation, dead, dying or diseased trees, green waste, rubbish, and other flammable materials on private property is a fire hazard and a public nuisance (Section 8.10.010). Responsible parties must maintain defensible space of 100 feet from improvements, up to 30 feet along property lines where fuel endangers a neighbor's structure, and up to 10 feet along roads and driveways (Section 8.10.040). When this fuel is removed, weeds and annual grasses must be cut to no more than six inches (Section 8.10.050(A)). The Fire Warden, and fire protection districts within their boundaries, administer and enforce the chapter, which applies throughout unincorporated territory including State Responsibility Areas. Chapter 8.10 expressly preserves the County Agricultural Commissioner's separate authority to eradicate noxious weeds under the California Food and Agricultural Code (Section 8.10.010(C)). Statewide, PRC 4291 independently requires up to 100 feet of defensible space around structures. If an owner fails to abate, the County may abate and recover costs by special assessment or lien.