Section 4907 of the California Fire Code 2022 Edition is hereby amended to read as follows:
4907.1 Objective. Provisions of this section are intended to modify the fuel load in areas adjacent to structures to create a defensible space within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
4907.1.1 Fuel modification. Fuel modification shall be provided within a distance from buildings or structures as specified in Table 49-1. Distances specified in Table 49-1 shall be measured along the grade from the perimeter or projection of the building or structure. Persons owning, leasing, controlling, operating, or maintaining buildings or structures requiring defensible spaces are responsible for modifying or removing non fire-resistive vegetation.
Ornamental vegetative fuel or cultivated ground cover, such as green grass, ivy, succulents or similar plants used as ground cover, are allowed to be within the designated defensible space provided they do not form a means of readily transmitting fire from the native growth to any structure.
Trees are allowed within the defensible space provided that the distances between crowns and crowns from adjacent trees, structures or unmodified fuel is not less than 15 feet (4572 mm). Trees shall be maintained free of dead wood and litter.
TABLE 49-1
REQUIRED DEFENSIBLE SPACE
Wildland-Urban Interface Area | Fuel Modification Distance (feet) |
Moderate hazard | 30 |
High hazard | 100 |
Extreme or very high hazard | 200 |
The hazard rating shall be determined in accordance with N.F.P.A. 1144 or legislative action.
For SI: 1 foot = 305 mm
4907.1.2 Fences. Fences within 10 feet (3050 mm) of a structure and requiring a permit in accordance with the Building Code shall be constructed of noncombustible materials.
4907.1.3 Adjacent landowners. Persons owning, leasing, controlling, operating, or maintaining land within the defensible space surrounding buildings or structures as described in Table 49-1 shall modify or remove non-fire resistive vegetation from their land as necessary to provide the required fuel modification. Such persons may satisfy the requirements of this section by permitting access to their property to persons owning, leasing, controlling, operating or maintaining the neighboring property that is improved with buildings or structures for the purpose of modifying or removing non-fire resistive vegetation to provide the appropriate fuel modification. If such access is provided, persons owning, leasing, controlling, operating or maintaining the neighboring property that is improved with buildings or structures shall bear the duty to comply with the requirements of this section.
(Ord. 2007-17, § 1 (part), 2007; Ord. 2010-16 § 2, 2010; Ord. 2013-05 § 2, 2013; Ord. 2019-11 § 4, 2019; Ord. 2022-09 § 4 (part), 2022)