Hazardous Vegetation and Combustible Material Ordinance

Effective May 21, 2020, Placer County’s ordinance governs the abatement of hazardous vegetation and combustible material on both vacant and improved parcels. The ordinance provides fire officials with consistent guidelines to ensure adequate defensible space is maintained around structures and enforcement mechanisms are in place to encourage compliance.

California Public Resource Code 4291 and local fire codes require a property owner to maintain 100 feet of defensible space around all structures. This update to the county’s ordinance brings the state, local fire code, and county together by providing the same standards through one resource. In addition, the ordinance would give fire officials the authority to require fire hazard abatement outside of the traditional 100-foot distance in extraordinary high-hazard circumstances.