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Wildfire Mitigation Contractors in San Diego County, CA
San Diego County in 30 secondsContractors, local rules, where to get help
67 wildfire mitigation contractors are listed for San Diego County, 48 with a clear CSLB license.
- Fire hazard zones
- Look up your address
The State Fire Marshal released revised Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps on March 24, 2025; with the State Responsibility Area zones adopted in 2024, the State Fire Marshal counts 1,011,865 acres of Very High zone in the county (157,339 LRA and 854,527 SRA). County Fire directs owners to the State Fire Marshal's online FHSZ map, where you can type an address and compare the 2007 and 2025 designations.
- Defensible space rules
- Source
The County's Defensible Space Ordinance (Regulatory Code sec. 68.401 et seq.) was amended in 2023 to point to the fire code, and the substantive rules are now in Section 96.2.604 of the County of San Diego 2026 Wildland-Urban Interface Code. Homes need a fuel modification zone within 100 feet (or to the property line if closer), which the fire code official can enlarge for steep or heavily vegetated sites. Zone 0 (0-5 feet) must be hardscape or non-combustible with no firewood or mulch; Zone 1 (5-50 feet) is irrigated, low fire-resistant plants with dead vegetation removed; Zone 2 (50-100 feet) requires removing dead fuel, cutting annual grass to 4 inches and thinning native brush. Remedies include criminal prosecution, civil action, nuisance abatement and administrative action, and several local fire districts set fines of up to $1,000 per violation.
- Chipping
- Source
County Fire and local Fire Safe Councils hold free Community Chipping Events: you haul branches (up to 6 inches in diameter), brush and shrubs to the event site, unbagged, and a crew chips them until the truck (typically about 20 yards) is full. Palm fronds, ice plant, poison oak, lumber and trash are not accepted, and there is no pickup from your property.
- Fire Safe Council
- Fire Safe Council of San Diego County
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In unincorporated San Diego County, defensible space rules now live in the County's 2026 Wildland-Urban Interface Code, which calls for a 100-foot fuel modification zone around homes and is enforced by the San Diego County Fire Protection District and local fire protection districts. The State Fire Marshal's 2024-2025 maps put 1,011,865 acres of San Diego County in Very High hazard zones, 157,339 of them in the Local Responsibility Area. Contractors below are ranked by public Google rating.
More in San Diego County 57
Serving all of California 8
Also on record 7
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American Hydroseed
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Brush-Tech
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C&S Fire Protection Maintenance Company
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Ember Pro
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FireLine UAS
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Southwest Fire Protection
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Utility Tree Service, LLC
Defensible space rules in San Diego County
Fire hazard zones in San Diego County
On March 24, 2025, the State released revised Local Responsibility Area fire hazard maps, and County Fire warns that zones in its Local Responsibility Area may have changed. The State Fire Marshal’s acreage table counts 1,011,865 acres of Very High zone in San Diego County: 157,339 in the Local Responsibility Area and 854,527 in the State Responsibility Area. To check a parcel, open the State Fire Marshal’s FHSZ map, enter your address and compare the 2007 and 2025 layers.
Local rules and deadlines
The County’s defensible space rules are in Section 96.2.604 of the 2026 Wildland-Urban Interface Code, which replaced the substantive text of the old Defensible Space Ordinance in 2023. Homes need a 100-foot fuel modification zone: hardscape only in the first 5 feet, irrigated low plants out to 50 feet, and thinned brush with grass cut to 4 inches out to 100 feet. Outbuildings need 10 feet of bare-soil clearance. Each fire district adopts its own amendments, and several set fines of up to $1,000 per violation.
Free chipping and fire-safe programs
County Fire and community Fire Safe Councils run free Community Chipping Events on a rotating schedule in different communities. You bring the brush yourself; there is no curbside pickup. The Fire Safe Council of San Diego County offers free home assessments in selected communities, plus a Defensible Space Assistance Program that provides one day of crew work for very-low-income owners who qualify.
County resources
Start with County Fire’s defensible space page, the WUI Code text, and the Fire Safe Council’s directory of more than 50 community councils. The contractors listed below serve San Diego County and can help you meet these requirements before an inspection.
Frequently asked questions 5
Who enforces defensible space rules in unincorporated San Diego County?
The San Diego County Fire Protection District (County Fire) and the county's independent fire protection districts. The requirements are in the County of San Diego 2026 Wildland-Urban Interface Code, and County Fire notes that each fire district also has its own rules, so check with the district that serves your address.
What happens if I don't clear my property?
For County Fire, Deer Springs and North County, the code allows criminal prosecution, civil action (including penalties and cost recovery), nuisance abatement and administrative action. Several other districts, including Alpine, Lakeside, Rancho Santa Fe, San Miguel and Valley Center, treat violations as an infraction or misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000, jail of up to six months, or both, and each day can count as a separate offense.
How much defensible space do I need?
100 feet around the home, split into zones: 0-5 feet non-combustible with no firewood or mulch, 5-50 feet irrigated low fire-resistant plants with dead material removed and firewood at least 30 feet from buildings, and 50-100 feet with grasses cut to 4 inches, dead plants removed and lower branches trimmed. If the property line is closer than 100 feet, you clear to the line.
Did my fire hazard zone change in 2025?
Possibly. The State released revised Local Responsibility Area maps on March 24, 2025. County Fire suggests using the State Fire Marshal's FHSZ map: enter your address and slide the divider to compare your 2007 and 2025 designations.
Is there free chipping or help with the work?
Yes. County Fire and local Fire Safe Councils run free Community Chipping Events where you drop off brush and branches up to 6 inches thick. The Fire Safe Council of San Diego County's Defensible Space Assistance Program provides one day of clearing crew work for very-low-income owners in its yearly service area, after a home assessment.