In response to resident inquiries, the City of Palos Verdes Estates contacted the Brush Clearance Unit at the County of Los Angeles Fire Department (LACoFD) to provide clarification on specific brush clearance requirements. Those questions and answers can be found below.

To view the Peninsula Cities Annual Brush Clearance Requirements Brochure, CLICK HERE.  Please note that the brochure references 2023 requirement information and requirements that will not be enforced until 2024.

 

  

2023 BRUSH CLEARANCE Q&A - CITY OF PVE & LACoFD


(1) PVE: Are PVE residents (living in single-family residences) who have received Brush Clearance notices required to remove all grass, trees, shrubs, vegetation, or wildland to create defensible space? If so, are there exceptions, and what are the conditions required for those exceptions?

LACoFD: Currently, we are not requiring homeowners to remove vegetation in their property. What we are asking is to make sure dead and/or dying vegetation is removed. We also recommend to trim your grass no more than 3” in height, and limb up brush and/or trees so the lower branches are not touching the ground cover, and eliminating combustible fuels. For extra instructions, please wait for your inspector.

(2) PVE: Are PVE residents (living in single-family residences) who have received Brush Clearance notices required to remove all grass, trees, shrubs, vegetation or wildland within a 100 ft. perimeter of their homes in 2023? If not, how many feet of defensible space is required around the perimeter of their homes in 2023?

LACoFD: If the homeowner has 100 ft from their structure, they are required to thin brush, limb up trees, mow grass to 3” in height. We also recommend focusing on making sure your 0-5 ft is free of dead vegetation, combustible materials, or leaf litter. For extra instructions, please wait for your inspector.

(3) PVE: What brush clearance/defensible space law(s) will be in effect and enforced during June 2023 brush clearance inspections of single-family residences in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones?

LACoFD: These are the current Fire Codes that will be enforced for 2023 Brush Clearance: F.C. 325.2.1(2) 325.2.2, F.C. 503.1.1 - 503.6, F.C. 503.2.1, F.C. 325.10, CFC. 326.12.2, F.C. 3807.3, CFC 505.1

(4) PVE: Based on the state law(s) that will be in effect and applied during June 2023 inspections of single-family CA residences in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, please list specific required actions that must be taken by PVE residents (who have received Brush Clearance notices) to comply with state law.

LACoFD: See 1 & 2. We also recommend working on doing their regular landscaping and waiting for further instructions from their inspectors.