Legislation Public Resources Code 4291
4291. Reduction of Fire Hazards Around Buildings; Requirements; Exemptions
Any person that owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains any building or structure in, upon, or adjoining mountainous area or forest-covered lands, brush covered lands, or grass covered lands, or any land which is covered with flammable material, shall at all times do all of the following:
a)
Maintain around and adjacent to such building or structure a firebreak made by removing and clearing away, for a distance of not less than 30 feet on each side thereof or to the property line, whichever is nearer, of all flammable vegetation or combustible growth. This subdivision does not apply to single specimens of trees, ornamental shrubbery, or similar plants which are used as ground cover , if they do not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from the native growth to any buildings or structure.
b)
Maintain around and adjacent to any such building or structure additional fire protection or fire break made by removing all brush, flammable vegetation, or combustible growth which is located from 30 feet to 100 feet from such building or structure or to the property line, whichever is nearer, as may be required by the director if he finds that, because of hazardous conditions, a fire break of only 30 feet around such building or structure is not sufficient to provide reasonable fire safety. Grass and other vegetation located more than 30 feet from such building or structure and less than 18 inches in height above the ground may be maintained where necessary to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion.
c)
Remove any portion of any tree which extends within 10 feet of the outlet of any chimney or stovepipe.
d)
Maintain any tree adjacent to or overhanging any building free of dead or dying wood.
e)
Maintain the roof of any structure free of leave, needles, or other dead vegetative growth.
f)
Provide and maintain atall times a screen over the outlet of every chimney or stovepipe that is attached to any fireplace, stove, or other device that burns any solid or liquid fuel. The screen shall be constructed of nonflammable material with openings of not more than one-half inch in size.
