Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 366, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2009.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares as follows:
California Government Code — §§ 51175-51189
Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 366, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2009.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares as follows:
Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1188, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.
The purpose of this chapter is to classify lands in the state in accordance with whether a very high fire hazard is present so that public officials are able to identify measures that will retard the rate of spread, and reduce the potential intensity, of uncontrolled fires that threaten to destroy resources, life, or property, and to require that those measures be taken.
Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 382, Sec. 1.5. (SB 63) Effective January 1, 2022.
As used in this chapter:
resistance to control of fuels through mechanical, chemical, biological, or manual means or by fire, in support of land management objectives.
Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 382, Sec. 2.5. (SB 63) Effective January 1, 2022.
The State Fire Marshal shall identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas. Moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones shall be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and other relevant factors including areas where winds have been identified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal as a major cause of wildfire spread.
Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 382, Sec. 3.5. (SB 63) Effective January 1, 2022.
Within 30 days after receiving a transmittal from the State Fire Marshal that identifies fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Section 51178, a local agency shall make the information available for public review and comment. The information shall be presented in a format that is understandable and accessible to the general public, including, but not limited to, maps.
Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 574, Sec. 10. (AB 211) Effective September 27, 2022.
high fire hazard severity zones following a finding supported by substantial evidence in the record that the requirements of Section 51182 are necessary for effective fire protection within the area.
increase the level of fire hazard severity zone as identified by the State Fire Marshal for any area within the jurisdiction of the local agency.
ordinance of the State Fire Marshal shall be presumed to be in compliance with the requirements of this section.
Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1188, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.
For the purposes of Division 3.6 (commencing with Section 810) of Title 1, vegetation removal or management, undertaken in whole or in part, for fire prevention or suppression purposes shall not be deemed to alter the natural condition of public property. This section shall apply only to natural conditions of public property and shall not limit any liability or immunity that may otherwise exist pursuant to this chapter.
Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 225, Sec. 7. (AB 9) Effective January 1, 2022.
The State Fire Marshal shall periodically review the areas in the state identified as very high fire hazard severity zones pursuant to this chapter, and as necessary, shall make recommendations relative to very high fire hazard severity zones. This review shall coincide with the review of state responsibility area lands every five years and, when possible, fall within the time frames for each county’s general plan update. Any revision of areas included in a very high fire hazard severity zone shall be made in accordance with Sections 51178 and 51179.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 731, Sec. 1. (AB 1455) Effective October 13, 2025.
of vegetation. Fuels shall be maintained and spaced in a condition so that a wildfire would be unlikely to ignite the structure. This subparagraph does not apply to single specimens of trees or other vegetation that are well-pruned and maintained so as to effectively manage fuels and not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from other nearby vegetation to a structure or from a structure to other nearby vegetation or to interrupt the advance of embers toward a structure. The intensity of fuels management may vary within the 100-foot perimeter of the structure, with more intense fuel reductions being used between 5 and 30 feet around the structure, and an ember-resistant zone being required within 5 feet of the structure, based on regulations promulgated by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, in consultation with the Office of the State Fire Marshal, to consider the elimination of materials in the ember-resistant zone that would likely be ignited by embers. The regulations may also alter the
fuel reduction required between 5 and 30 feet to integrate the ember-resistant zone into the requirements of this section. Consistent with fuels management objectives, steps should be taken to minimize erosion, soil disturbance, and the spread of flammable nonnative grasses and weeds.
line.
adjacent to or overhanging a building free of dead or dying wood.
local building official a copy of the final inspection report that demonstrates that the dwelling or structure was constructed in compliance with all applicable state and local building standards, including those described in subdivision (b) of Section 51189, and shall provide a copy of the report, upon request, to the property insurance carrier that insures the dwelling or structure.
on fuels management pursuant to this chapter. The guidance document shall include, but not be limited to, regionally appropriate vegetation management suggestions that preserve and restore native species that are fire resistant or drought tolerant, or both, minimize erosion, minimize the spread of flammable nonnative grasses and weeds, minimize water consumption, and permit trees and shrubs near homes for shade, aesthetics, and habitat; and suggestions to minimize or eliminate the risk of flammability of nonvegetative sources of combustion such as woodpiles, propane tanks, decks, and outdoor lawn furniture.
requirements based on regulations promulgated by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to subdivision (a). In developing the ordinance, a local agency may, in order to meet the intent of the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection regulations, consider local variations in local fire hazards, geography, development, and other conditions and authorize alternative practices to those in the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection regulations, if the alternative practices provide for substantially similar practical effects as those stated in the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection regulations. This subdivision does not preclude a local agency from adopting an ordinance designating defensible space requirements that are more stringent than the regulations adopted by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to subdivision (a).
imposing penalties for violations of this section, or any other laws otherwise requiring compliance with this section, a property owner in compliance with the applicable alternative practices adopted by that property owner’s local agency in an ordinance described in paragraph (1) shall not be deemed to have violated this section.
Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 731, Sec. 2. (AB 1455) Effective October 13, 2025.
regulations shall be deemed in response to an emergency and the Office of Administrative Law shall consider the adoption of initial regulations as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare.
constitute a project for purposes of Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.
Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 366, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2009.
Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 876, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 2000.
Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1188, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.
Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1188, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.
Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 982, Sec. 2. (SB 504) Effective January 1, 2025.
agency having jurisdiction of property upon which conditions that are regulated by Section 51182 apply shall make reasonable efforts to provide notice to affected residents within the jurisdiction of the local agency describing the requirements added by the amendments to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 51182 made in Assembly Bill 3074 of the 2019–20 Regular Session before the imposition of penalties for violating those requirements.
51182 shall take effect for existing structures three years after the effective date for the new structures.
Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1188, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.
Any violation of Section 51182 may be considered a public nuisance pursuant to Section 38773.
Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1188, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.
In the instance of conflict between this chapter and any provision of state law that allows a regional planning agency to regulate very high fire hazard severity zones, this chapter shall prevail.
Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 382, Sec. 5. (SB 63) Effective January 1, 2022.
January 31, 2020, the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with the director and the Director of Housing and Community Development, shall, pursuant to Section 18930 of the Health and Safety Code, recommend updated building standards that provide for comprehensive site and structure fire risk reduction to protect structures from fires spreading from adjacent structures or vegetation and to protect vegetation from fires spreading from adjacent structures, based on information learned from the 2017 wildfire season.
structures. The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection shall incorporate the list in its fire prevention education and outreach efforts.
government, building officials, utility companies, the building industry, insurers and insurance research organizations, and the environmental community. Components of the program shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(A) General guidelines for creating and maintaining defensible space around specified structures, including appropriate guidelines and definitions for vegetation management.
(B) Provisions for fuel modification beyond the property line, including on unimproved lots, in order to maintain 100 feet of defensible space from a structure.
(C) Suggested minimum qualifications needed for enforcement personnel.
(D) Enforcement mechanisms for compliance with and maintenance of defensible space requirements, including, but not
limited to, the following:
(ii) Procedures for notifying a property owner of a violation.
(iii) Timelines for corrective action by a property owner and for reinspection.
(iv) Citations requiring abatement of a violation and subsequent removal of a fire hazard within the defensible space boundaries.
which the real property is located. The notice shall, at a minimum, identify the record owner or possessor of the property, set forth the last known address of the record owner or possessor, set forth the date upon which abatement was ordered by the local agency and the date the abatement was completed, and include a description of the real property subject to the lien and the amount of the abatement cost.
51182 of this code and subdivision (e) of Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code, the Office of the State Fire Marshal is authorized to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, pursuant to Section 18931.7 of the Health and Safety Code.