Los Angeles hillside brush clearance is an address-by-address check

For property in Los Angeles’s Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, brush clearance is a year-round duty. It is not just a spring cleanup or a rule that starts after a notice arrives.

LAFD’s general rule covers native brush, weeds, grass, trees, and hazardous vegetation within 200 feet of any building, including a building on adjoining property. It also covers vegetation within 10 feet of a combustible fence or a road or driveway used by vehicles. Grass and most native brush in those areas must generally be reduced to 3 inches. The page gives an exception for individual native shrubs that are spaced and trimmed as specified.

The same requirements address lower tree limbs, dead material, chimney clearance, roof debris, overhanging branches, and disposal or chipping of cut vegetation. Brush clearance cannot be done on a Red Flag day. LAFD also requires specified fire-safety equipment and non-sparking blades during the work. Read the current page before hiring anyone because protected plants and the exact parcel conditions can change what should be cut.

Start with the parcel lookup, then use LAFD’s full enforceable requirements for the work. If a mailed notice includes an APN and PIN, keep them with the inspection record. Live evacuation instructions are a separate matter and always take priority during a fire.