How much brush clearance does my home need in LA and Orange County?
In the City of Los Angeles, LAFD requires clearance 200 ft from structures and 10 ft from the roadside, done by May 1. LA County Fire requires 100 ft, which it can raise to 200 ft, with inspections starting April 1 in desert communities, May 1 inland and June 1 on the coast. Most Orange County cities are served by the Orange County Fire Authority; a few run their own fire departments.
The hazard zone, the department that inspects, past fires nearby and every rule that applies to your home.
City of Los Angeles (LAFD), 2026
- Distance
- Areas within 200 ft of structures and 10 ft of the roadside.
- Deadline
- Comply by May 1, 2026. Inspections run May 1 to June 30, 2026.
- If you fail
- $31 after a failed first inspection and $758 after a failed second. If it still fails, the city's contractor clears it, plus a $1,740 administrative fee and the contractor's cost. Late payment adds a 200% penalty. LAFD marks every amount as subject to change.
LA County Fire, 2026
- Distance
- 100 ft in total, which can be increased to as much as 200 ft.
- Inspections
- Starting April 1 in desert communities, May 1 inland and June 1 in coastal communities.
- Fees
- A $151 inspection fee. Not complying within 30 days of a violation notice brings a $500 administrative fine and a $1,647 charge on the tax bill.
Orange County and cities with their own departments
The Orange County Fire Authority serves most Orange County cities. Anaheim, Brea, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Orange and Placentia run their own fire departments.
In LA County, cities such as Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank also run their own. Ask your city's fire department for its distance and inspection dates; the fire check names the department for your address.
What the state asks within 100 ft
- Zone 1, 5 to 30 ft
- Remove dead or dying grass, plants and shrubs, keep branches 10 ft from the chimney, and move exposed firewood away.
- Zone 2, 30 to 100 ft
- Cut grass to 4 in, keep leaf litter under 3 in deep, and give woodpiles 10 ft of clearance.
Sources
- LAFD, 2026 brush clearance owner mailer, read November 9, 2026
- LA County Fire, 2026 annual defensible space clearance notice, read November 9, 2026
- Orange County Fire Authority, defensible space inspections for home sales, read November 9, 2026
- Board of Forestry, Zone 0 regulation summary, August 2026 (copy hosted by UC ANR), read November 9, 2026
General information, not legal advice. Your fire department and city have the final word for your property.
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