Build defensible space around your home
Defensible space means managing the plants around your home, and the rules depend on your lot. CAL FIRE describes Zone 1 as the area within 30 feet and Zone 2 as the area within 100 feet, and it notes that San Diego County requires 50 feet of clearance in Zone 1. The 0 to 5 foot ember-resistant zone is still being finalized by the state. Ask your local fire authority what applies to your lot before you cut any native brush or large trees.
What you'll learn
- What Zone 1 (within 30 feet, or 50 feet under San Diego County rules) and Zone 2 (within 100 feet) mean
- Why the ember-resistant first five feet is still being finalized, and why you should ask your fire authority what applies now
- How to find your local fire authority, plus why County PDS-800 vegetation guidelines might still matter
- Which roof and gutter cleaning a homeowner can handle, and which tree work needs a licensed crew
Step by step
- Ask CAL FIRE or your local fire department which rules cover your exact lot. Requirements differ by parcel, and local standards can be stricter than the state minimum.
- Sweep fallen needles, dead leaves, and other debris away from the first few feet around your home, where embers can land. Clean gutters only from a stable position, or hire help. Stay off the roof.
- Within 30 feet of your buildings, or your lot line if it is closer, clear dead vegetation. Check with your fire authority, since San Diego County requires 50 feet in Zone 1. Don't leave shrubs that carry fire up into overhead limbs.
- Out to 100 feet from buildings, or your property line if it is closer, reduce grass and dead fuel on your own lot. Never clear an open space easement or a neighbor's land based on assumptions.
- Hire a licensed independent tree pro for removal, large tree pruning, or climbing. Don't cut street trees yourself. In the City of San Diego, report City-maintained trees through Get It Done.
Defensible space work does not promise a home will survive a wildfire. Confirm which fire authority covers your lot and what clearance standards currently apply. County vegetation guidelines (PDS-800) and easement limits can still affect your property.
Further reading
Want a pro to take care of it?
Limb SD links property owners across San Diego County to insured, independent tree pros. You hire and pay that specialist yourself.