Zone 1: 5 to 30 feet
In the City of San Diego, Zone 1 runs from 5 to 30 feet outward from a home or building, or to the property line, whichever is closer, and plants there must be less than 4 feet tall and fire resistant.
This is the "lean, clean, and green" zone. The goal is that fire reaching it finds low, well-watered, well-spaced plants and nothing that can carry flame toward the house.
- Remove all dead plants, grass, and weeds. Keep grass mowed to 4 inches or less.
- Remove dead or dry leaves and pine needles from the ground, roof, and gutters.
- Keep tree branches at least 10 feet from other trees and from the roof and chimney.
- Remove ladder fuels: low branches and shrubs under trees that let a ground fire climb into the canopy.
- Keep woodpiles and stored combustibles out of Zone 1 entirely (30 feet or more from any structure).
- Space plants so there is no continuous line of vegetation leading to the house.
- Choose fire-resistant species: high moisture content, low resin, little dead material. Succulents, many native groundcovers, and well-irrigated perennials qualify. Junipers, cypress, pines, eucalyptus, palms with dead fronds, and most ornamental grasses do not.
Zone 2: 30 to 100 feet
Zone 2 runs from 30 to 100 feet outward from a home or building, and the City of San Diego requires that 50% of the entire Zone 2 area be thinned, with specific pruning protocols for what remains.
This is the "reduce fuel" zone. Native vegetation can stay, but it is thinned and broken up so fire slows down and drops from the canopy to the ground before it reaches Zone 1.
- Thin vegetation by 50%, removing the most flammable and the dead material first.
- Cut annual grass and weeds to 4 inches or less.
- Create horizontal spacing between shrubs and trees. The steeper the slope, the wider the spacing: roughly twice the plant height on flat ground, four times on slopes over 40%.
- Create vertical spacing: remove lower tree branches to at least 6 feet, and clear shrubs beneath trees so there is no ladder.
- Remove dead trees, dead branches, and fallen material.
- Leave root systems in place on slopes to prevent erosion. Thinning, not clearing to bare earth, is the standard.
- Protect sensitive habitat. Much of San Diego's canyon land is coastal sage scrub or chaparral with protected species; the city's brush management program requires that thinning be done in a way that preserves habitat. This is one reason to hire crews who do this work in San Diego regularly.
Whose rule applies to you
| Jurisdiction | Rule | Enforced by |
|---|---|---|
| City of San Diego | Municipal Code brush management regulations (Zone 1 and Zone 2 as described above) plus Zone 0 for Very High zones | San Diego Fire-Rescue, Brush Management / Weed Abatement division (619-533-4444) |
| Unincorporated county (State Responsibility Area) | Public Resources Code 4291: 100 feet of defensible space, Zone 0 per state regulation | CAL FIRE / San Diego County Fire |
| Other cities | Local fire code, generally mirroring the state 100-foot standard | City fire department or fire protection district |
The requirement stops at your property line. You are not responsible for brush on a neighbor's land, city open space, or a canyon owned by someone else — but you should know that the city and county run their own brush management programs on public land, and that a neighbor's overgrown lot can be reported.
How inspections work
The City of San Diego inspects brush management on a schedule and in response to complaints, and issues notices to properties that fall short. For vacant lots, the city runs an annual weed abatement program in which non-compliant lots are cleared by city contractors at the owner's expense (see weed abatement). Homeowners who want a professional look before an inspection can request a Home Risk Assessment from San Diego Fire-Rescue for $163, which covers vegetation, ember exposure, and Zone 0.
Getting it done
Zone 1 on a suburban lot is usually a homeowner job with a mower and a pruning saw. Zone 2 on a canyon-rim or acreage property is crew work: mastication, chainsaw thinning on slopes, and hauling. Full brush clearance in San Diego County runs roughly $2,000 to $4,000 per acre for moderate growth, more on slopes. See the brush clearance service page or get a free quote.