CAL FIRE Requirements in California, Explained

The 100-Foot Rule

California law (Public Resources Code 4291) requires you to keep 100 feet of defensible space around your home, or out to your property line if that's closer. It's a state law, so the standard is the same whether you're in the Sierra foothills, San Diego County, or the hills above the Bay Area. It applies to any home in the State Responsibility Area, plus homes in mapped Very High fire hazard zones inside cities and towns, and some cities extend it further.

And that covers more homes than it used to. CAL FIRE released updated hazard maps in early 2025, cities and counties adopted them over that summer, and a lot of properties landed in a mapped zone for the first time. If you're anywhere near wildland, assume the rule applies to you until you've checked the map.

Defensible space doesn't mean bare dirt. It means a property where a fire slows down and loses power before it reaches your house, and where firefighters can safely make a stand.

The Three Zones

CAL FIRE splits your 100 feet into three zones. Each has its own job:

Do the Rules Change County to County?

The short answer: the baseline doesn't, but the details do. The 100-foot rule and the three-zone system come from state law, so they're identical in all 58 counties. Three things change depending on where you live:

• Who inspects. In the State Responsibility Area, which covers most rural and foothill land, CAL FIRE's local unit does the inspections. Inside city limits and other locally protected areas, it's your city or county fire department.
• Local rules on top. Cities and counties can go stricter than the state. The City and County of Los Angeles can require up to 200 feet of brush clearance, and San Diego County requires 50 feet of cleared space in Zone 1. Many counties also run their own weed abatement ordinances with hard deadlines and their own fines.
• Zone 0 timing. The state's ember-resistant zone rule is still being finalized, but some cities have adopted their own version early.

So if you follow the state rules on this page, you're covered on the fundamentals anywhere in California. Then make one call to your local fire authority and ask two questions: who inspects my parcel, and is there anything stricter than the state baseline here.

What Inspectors Actually Look For

Inspectors work fire country every year, heaviest in late spring and early summer as the grass cures. They walk the property and check the zones. The most common failures are the simple ones: dry grass over 4 inches, dead brush left standing, limbs touching the roof, and stuff piled against the house.

If you fail, you get a notice listing the fixes and a return visit. Ignore it long enough and it can turn into fines. Fix the list before the reinspection and you're done. That's it. No drama.

How to Get Ready

Start with a self-check: take our free 2-minute quiz. Want real eyes on it? Book a free defensible space inspection and we'll walk your lot the same way an inspector would. To be clear, we're not CAL FIRE and we can't pass or fail you, but we know exactly what they look for and we'll get your property ready before the real inspection ever happens.

Then either do the work or have us do it. Our defensible space service covers all three zones: cutting, clearing, chipping, and hauling until the property passes. If cost is the blocker, some homeowners qualify for free help: read about free defensible space programs in Tuolumne County.

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