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Wildfire Mitigation Contractors in Imperial County, CA
Imperial County in 30 secondsContractors, local rules, where to get help
5 wildfire mitigation contractors are listed for Imperial County, 4 with a clear CSLB license.
- Fire hazard zones
- Look up your address
The State Fire Marshal's March 24, 2025 Local Responsibility Area recommendations put 339,967 acres of unincorporated Imperial County in the Moderate zone and 241 acres in High, with no Very High acreage. By comparison, the 2007–11 map had 2,478 Very High acres. Small Moderate areas are also recommended in Calexico, Calipatria, Brawley and Holtville. You can look up a parcel in CAL FIRE's LRA Fire Hazard Severity Zone viewer.
- Defensible space rules
- Source
Imperial County Code Title 9, Division 18 (Abatement of Weeds and Other Vegetation, adopted 1998) makes it unlawful for an owner or occupant in the unincorporated county to let land become overgrown with weeds and other vegetation, including brush that becomes a fire menace to nearby improved property when dry. Violations are misdemeanors. Any two of four county officials (Fire Marshal, Planning Director, Public Works Director, Agricultural Commissioner) can declare the vegetation a public nuisance. The Planning Director then mails a notice to abate by certified mail. Owners can appeal to the Board of Supervisors, with a $125 filing fee. If the owner doesn't clear it, the county can clear it and charge the cost as a lien on the parcel.
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In unincorporated Imperial County the local rule is the weed abatement ordinance (Title 9, Division 18). It makes it unlawful to let land become overgrown with weeds and vegetation, and a violation is a misdemeanor. The Imperial County Fire Department surveys properties when it gets a complaint and sends 30-day and 15-day notices before a case goes to county counsel. The State Fire Marshal's 2025 maps recommend almost 340,000 acres of the unincorporated Local Responsibility Area as Moderate fire hazard. Contractors below are ranked by public Google rating.
Services in Imperial County
Defensible space rules in Imperial County
Fire hazard zones in Imperial County
Imperial County was in Phase 4 of the State Fire Marshal’s 2025 Local Responsibility Area rollout. The Phase 4 acreage table recommends 339,967 Moderate and 241 High acres in the unincorporated county and no Very High acreage, where the 2007–11 map had 2,478 Very High acres. Calexico, Calipatria, Brawley and Holtville each have small Moderate areas. Look up a parcel in CAL FIRE’s LRA viewer.
Local rules and deadlines
The county’s weed abatement ordinance (Title 9, Division 18) makes it a misdemeanor to let land in the unincorporated county become overgrown with weeds and other vegetation. It sets no fixed clearance width. The Imperial County Fire Department enforces fire hazards on a complaint basis. Crews survey the reported property and issue a Notice of Code Violation. The owner then gets a 30-day notice by certified mail and, if needed, a 15-day notice. Hazards still standing after that are recorded with Planning and Development Services and referred to county counsel. Under the ordinance the county can also clear the vegetation itself and put the cost on the parcel as a lien. Owners can appeal a notice to the Board of Supervisors.
County resources
The Fire Prevention Bureau at Station 1 in Imperial takes weed abatement complaints; see the fire department site for contacts. The ordinance text is on Planning and Development Services’ ordinances page. The contractors listed below serve Imperial County and can clear overgrown lots before a notice turns into a lien.
Frequently asked questions 4
Who enforces weed abatement in Imperial County?
The Imperial County Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau handles fire hazard complaints in the unincorporated county and in contract cities. Under the county code, the Fire Marshal, Planning Director, Public Works Director and Agricultural Commissioner can declare overgrown vegetation a nuisance, and the Planning Director sends the formal notice to abate.
What happens after a complaint about my property?
The fire department surveys the property and issues a Notice of Code Violation if it finds a fire hazard. The owner gets a 30-day notice by certified mail, then a 15-day notice if the hazard isn't fixed. After that, the violation is recorded in the property file at Planning and Development Services and referred to county counsel for legal action. The department can also charge fees and issue citations under its fee schedule.
Can the county clear my lot and bill me?
Yes. Under Division 18, if the nuisance isn't abated, the county can remove the weeds and vegetation. The cost becomes a special assessment and a lien on the parcel. You can avoid this by clearing the lot yourself before county crews arrive.
Is my property in a fire hazard zone?
Most zoned Local Responsibility Area land in the county is Moderate: 339,967 acres unincorporated, with only 241 acres High and none Very High under the 2025 recommendations. Check your parcel in CAL FIRE's LRA viewer.