Tulare County, CA Property Maintenance: Weeds & Overgrown Grass (2026)

The Fire Hazardous Weeds and Rubbish Ordinance (County Code Chapter 4-11, enacted under Gov. Code 25845 and Health & Safety Code 14930-14931) governs overgrown vegetation in the unincorporated area. Section 4-11-1065 declares 'weeds, grass, rank growths and combustible rubbish growing or accumulating upon private property which do, or will when dry, create a fire hazard' to be a public nuisance. Importantly, the ordinance defines these terms by their fire-spread potential rather than a specific height: section 4-11-1070 defines 'weed' as any wild-growing plant of whatever height except a tree, 'grass' as cultivated herbaceous plant that, if uncontrolled, attains a height enabling rapid fire spread, and 'rank growth' as vegetation that attains a height and density that is a medium for rapid fire spread. No numeric grass-height threshold (such as a number of inches) appears in the county ordinance. Section 4-11-1075 makes it the duty of every owner of private property in the unincorporated areas of Tulare County to prevent such a nuisance. The County Fire Chief enforces it: a notice/order is served, the owner has fifteen (15) calendar days to request administrative review, and abatement may not begin until at least thirty (30) days after the notice was mailed or delivered (section 4-11-1260).