Defensible Space Snapshot — Mustard Construction

VCFD defensible space

Maintenance requirements

Plain-English summary of what VCFD’s adopted Wildland-Urban Interface Code and Defensible Space Standard require around a home, organized by zone. Each requirement cites its section, and the cited code section controls.

Requirements last verified October 23, 2026 · Situation: existing home

Zone 0 · 0–5 feet · existing homes

Zone 0 is the first 5 feet around the building, decks, patio covers, balconies and stairs, and includes the roof and the areas on top of and underneath decks. VCWUIC §604.8.2
Roofs and gutters must be kept free of leaves, needles and other vegetative combustible material. §604.8.2.3.1(5)
Trees and vegetation must have at least 3 feet of vertical clearance above any roof. §604.8.2.3.1(6)
Trees and vegetation must stay at least 3 feet to the side of, above and below any eave or roof projection, including patio covers and other building projections. §604.8.2.3.1(7)
No combustible landscape mulch or wood chips, no firewood, and no artificial or synthetic grass. §604.8.2.3.1(1, 2, 8)
No vegetation underneath decks; remove other combustible materials stored under decks. §604.8.2.3.1(3, 4)
No new trees. New or replacement landscaping must meet the new-building Zone 0 rules. §604.8.2.3.1(9, 10)
Landscaped roofs are prohibited. §604.8.2.3.2
Fencing within 5 feet: fences installed before January 1, 2023 may remain, but if any part is replaced, the entire fence within 5 feet (including gates) must be non-combustible. §604.11.3

Zone 0 · new buildings, additions & new landscaping

Since March 1, 2025, all fuels, including combustible materials and vegetation, are prohibited in Zone 0 for new buildings, additions, new landscaping and refurbished landscaping. §604.8.2.1
No tree canopies within 10 feet of a new building or addition. Existing protected oaks must be trimmed to at least 5 feet above and 5 feet to the side of it. §604.8.2.2(1)
No vegetation on or under decks or on balconies; no planting boxes within 5 feet; no vines or climbing plants on structures or on fences within 5 feet. §604.8.2.2(3–8)
All fencing and gates within 5 feet must be non-combustible (required for any fence installed on or after January 1, 2023). §604.8.2.2(11), §604.11.2

Zone 1 · 5–30 feet

Extends 5–30 feet from structures and decks, or 5–50 feet where slopes exceed 20%. Includes a transitional area within 5 feet of Zone 0 (10 feet on slopes over 20%). §604.8.3, §604.8.3.1
Plants and vegetation must follow VCFD’s Defensible Space and Fuel Modification Standards. For new or replacement landscaping, single shrubs in the transitional area may not exceed 2 feet in height. §604.8.3.2; Std. 515
New trees: crowns must be at least 20 feet from the crowns of adjacent trees at maturity. §604.8.6.5.1
Firewood in Zone 1 must be completely enclosed in a secured, fire-resistant enclosure at least 5 feet from any building. Each pile is limited to 125 cubic feet and 4 feet high, and total firewood in Zones 1 and 2 to 250 cubic feet. §607.1.1

Zone 2 · to 100 feet

Extends from the outer edge of Zone 1 to 100 feet from structures and decks. §604.8.4
New trees: crowns must be at least 10 feet from the crowns of adjacent trees at maturity. §604.8.6.5.1
Spacing at the outer edge of Zone 2 is based on the height of vegetation in Zone 2 or beyond the 100-foot line, whichever requires more. This can require clearance beyond 100 feet. §604.8.4.2
Exposed firewood piles must have 10 feet of clearance to bare mineral soil in all directions. §607.1.1
Other stored combustible materials: piles no larger than 100 square feet and 10 feet high, separated by at least 20 feet. §607.1.2

Zone 3 · beyond 100 feet

A thinning zone beyond 100 feet, required where set by conditions of development or by the Fire Department. §604.8.5

All zones (0–100 feet)

Remove all dead or dying grass, plants, shrubs, trees, branches, leaves, weeds and tree needles. §604.8.6.1
Natural or annual grasses must be mowed to a maximum 3-inch stubble, with clippings removed. §604.8.6.7
Combustible mulch and wood chips in Zones 1 and 2 may not exceed 3 inches in depth and must be kept 12 inches from tree trunks and combustible fences. §604.8.6.2; Std. 515 §4.4
Combustible materials may not be stored in unenclosed spaces beneath buildings, on decks, or under eaves, canopies or other overhangs. §607.1
The owner of the land within the 100-foot zone is responsible for its clearance, including abutting County road right-of-way. §604.3.2, §604.3.2.1

Trees

Remove any part of a tree or shrub within 10 feet horizontally or vertically of a chimney or stovepipe outlet. §604.8.6.4
Trees taller than 6 feet must be limbed up 6 feet or one-third of their height, whichever is less (fruit trees when approved). §604.8.6.5.2
Under tree canopies: the lowest branch must be at least three times the height of the ground cover or shrub beneath it, and ground cover must be kept 3 feet from the trunk. §604.8.6.5.3
New trees: the drip line at maturity must be at least 10 feet from any combustible structure. §604.8.6.5
Existing homes built before April 1, 2019: continuous tree canopies are allowed only if the Fire Code Official approves, with all understory removed and remaining trees limbed up 12 feet or one-third of their height. §604.8.6.6.2

Access, utilities & equipment

Maintain at least 13 feet 6 inches of vertical clearance above roads, driveways, turnouts and turnarounds that provide fire department access. Std. 515 §4.5.3
Where required by the Fire Code Official, clear non-fire-resistive vegetation for 10 feet on each side of fire apparatus access roads and driveways. Std. 515 §4.5.4
Keep at least 3 feet of horizontal and 8 feet of vertical clearance around fire hydrants and fire department water outlets. Std. 515 §4.5.5
Propane (LP-gas) tanks: 10 feet of clearance to bare mineral soil in all directions; vegetation 10–20 feet away must be fire-smart. §606.3
Chimneys serving fireplaces, barbecues or other solid- or liquid-fuel appliances need a spark arrestor with openings no larger than ½ inch. §605.1
No vegetation may be planted under or near power lines that will grow within 10 feet of the energized conductors. §604.10
Annual program: Notices to Abate Fire Hazard are mailed April 20; the clearance deadline is June 1; property must be kept clear year-round. VCFD FHRP

Official sources

LACoFD defensible space

Maintenance requirements

Plain-English summary of what the Los Angeles County Fire Code and state law require around a home in LACoFD’s jurisdiction, organized by zone. Each requirement cites its section, and the cited code section controls.

Requirements last verified October 23, 2026 · Situation: existing home

Zone 0 · 0–5 feet, roof & chimney

There is no Zone 0 (ember-resistant zone) rule in effect. State law calls for one; no state rule is in effect as of October 23, 2026. PRC §4291(a)(1); OAL 2026-0828-03E
Keep the roof and rain gutters free of leaves, needles and other dead vegetative growth. LACo Fire Code §325.2.1.4; PRC §4291(a)(4)
Remove any part of a tree that extends within 10 feet of the outlet of a chimney or stovepipe. §325.2.1.5; PRC §4291(a)(2)
Keep any tree or shrub adjacent to or overhanging the building free of dead wood. §325.2.1.3; PRC §4291(a)(3)

Zone 1 · 0–30 feet

Store firewood, manure, compost and similar combustible materials at least 30 feet from any building or structure. §325.2.1.6
Ornamental plants and trees known to be flammable, including acacia, cedar, cypress, eucalyptus, juniper, pine and pampas grass, are not exempt. They may remain only if individually planted, spaced and maintained so they cannot carry fire from native growth to the structure. §325.2.1.1
LACoFD’s annual notice applies this as: remove those species within 30 feet of any structure (50 feet in extra hazard areas), or keep them free of dead material and trimmed away from the structure. 2026 Annual Notice

Zone 2 · 30–100 feet

Maintain defensible space for 100 feet from each side and the front and rear of every structure, with fuels spaced so a wildfire under average weather conditions would be unlikely to ignite the structure. §325.2.1; PRC §4291(a)(1)
The annual notice applies this as: thin remaining vegetation for the next 70 feet, for a total of 100 feet, by clearing, trimming, thinning, limbing up and removing combustible vegetation and dead wood. 2026 Annual Notice
Exposed woodpiles within 100 feet of a building need 10 feet of clearance to bare mineral soil in all directions. §325.2.1.6
Beyond 30 or 50 feet (as the fire code official determines), loose surface litter such as leaves, needles, twigs and small branches may remain up to 6 inches deep. §325.2.1.3 exception

Zone 3 · extra hazard areas

Where the fire code official finds 100 feet insufficient, owners can be notified to clear for a greater distance, up to 200 feet. §325.2.1 exception 1

All zones (0–100 feet)

Remove all dead or dying grass, plants, shrubs, trees, branches, leaves, weeds and pine needles. This includes cured annual grass; the code sets no grass height. §325.2.1.3
Cultivated ground cover such as green grass, ivy and succulents may remain if maintained so it cannot carry fire from native growth to the structure. §325.2.1.2
Clearance is required only where the owner has the legal right to clear; no one is required to enter or alter a neighbor’s property without consent. §325.2.1 exception 2

Access & roads

Fire apparatus access roads must have unobstructed vertical clearance clear to the sky. For protected tree species next to the road, a minimum of 13 feet 6 inches may be allowed, with any required tree-trimming permit. §503.2.1
The fire code official may require all flammable vegetation to be cleared for at least 10 feet on each side of every public or private roadway; the annual notice applies 10 feet of brush clearance on each side of fire access roads. §325.10; 2026 Annual Notice
Provide at least 3 feet of brush clearance around all fire hydrants. 2026 Annual Notice
Enforcement (2026): inland inspections begin May 1. Owners have 30 days to correct violations; failing to comply brings a $500 fine plus a $1,647 enforcement assessment. The $151 inspection fee is billed on the following year’s property tax bill. Check current amounts with LACoFD. 2026 Annual Notice

Official sources

What this Snapshot is, and isn’t

Informational only. The Defensible Space Snapshot is a free lookup of public records. It is not legal advice, an inspection, a compliance determination, a certification or proof of compliance. It does not replace any inspection, notice or documentation from your fire authority.

No relationship. Using this tool or receiving its report does not make you our client or create a consulting, advisory or contractor relationship. That relationship begins only with a paid consultation or a signed contract.

Source and date. Fire hazard zones come from CAL FIRE’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps (LRA map dated March 24, 2025; SRA map effective April 1, 2024). Fire authority and parcel information come from public agency records. All were checked on the date shown on your report. Maps, parcel matches and agency information can be incomplete or out of date, and agencies can change or interpret their rules. Where we can’t verify something, we say so.

What a result doesn’t tell you. A hazard zone describes an area’s wildfire potential, not your home’s condition. A result does not establish a passing inspection, an inspection date, insurance acceptance, a premium discount. A result showing no requirement does not mean the property has none. Your fire authority can still require clearance, and its notices control.

Your decisions. Confirm requirements, deadlines and accepted documentation with your fire authority before you act. You are responsible for the decisions you make using this tool. To the extent the law allows, Mustard Construction is not liable for those decisions or for decisions by fire authorities, insurers, lenders or others. Nothing here limits liability the law does not allow us to limit. Our Terms of Use apply.

Sample report. The sample report shown on this page describes a fictional property and is for illustration only.

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123 Example Lane, Example City, CA 00000

This property is in a Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zone in a Local Responsibility Area (LRA).

This property is in a High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in a Local Responsibility Area (LRA).

This property is in a Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zone in a Local Responsibility Area (LRA).

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Maintenance requirements

Zone 0 · 0–5 feet · existing homes

Zone 0 · new buildings, additions & new landscaping

Zone 1 · 5–30 feet

Zone 2 · to 100 feet

Zone 3 · beyond 100 feet

All zones (0–100 feet)

Trees

Access, utilities & equipment

Official sources

Need to pass a VCFD defensible space inspection?

Maintenance requirements

Zone 0 · 0–5 feet, roof & chimney

Zone 1 · 0–30 feet

Zone 2 · 30–100 feet

Zone 3 · extra hazard areas

All zones (0–100 feet)

Access & roads

Official sources

Need to pass a LACoFD defensible space inspection?

What this Snapshot is, and isn’t