- Home
- San Luis Obispo County
Wildfire Mitigation Contractors in San Luis Obispo County, CA
San Luis Obispo County in 30 secondsContractors, local rules, where to get help
16 wildfire mitigation contractors are listed for San Luis Obispo County, 15 with a clear CSLB license.
- Fire hazard zones
- Look up your address
In April 2025 the Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted the State Fire Marshal's recommended Moderate, High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones for the unincorporated county, expanding high-risk areas in coastal and foothill communities and along the Salinas River corridor. Look up a parcel by entering the address in CAL FIRE's Fire Hazard Severity Zone Viewer; County Fire also posts the 2025 LRA map for download.
- Defensible space rules
- Source
The Weed Abatement Ordinance adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2025 covers unincorporated areas in the County Fire Local Responsibility Area. Owners must clear or reduce combustible vegetation within 100 feet of structures (or to the property line), remove dead plants, weeds and flammable debris, keep roofs and gutters clean, and trim branches away from chimneys and buildings. Parcels of one acre or more need a 30-foot perimeter break with vegetation cut to 4 inches or less. If a home sits within 100 feet of a property line, the neighboring owner must clear their side within 100 feet of it. County Fire issues a Notice to Abate with typically 15 days to fix the problem or request a hearing; if it isn't fixed, the county can abate it, charge a $428 fine plus abatement and administrative costs, and place them as a lien or special assessment on the property. In the State Responsibility Area, state law (100 feet of defensible space) applies.
- Chipping
- Source
The Fire Safe Council of San Luis Obispo County runs free curbside chipping events, funded by CAL FIRE's California Climate Investments grants, for residents who live in a CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Reserve online at chipperday.com/slofsc before the sign-up deadline. One pile per reservation, up to 20 feet long and 4 feet wide and high, stacked in a line within 5 feet of the road; only branches, shrubs and brush under 8 inches in diameter are accepted (no lumber, root balls, palm fronds, yucca or poison oak).
- Fire Safe Council
- Fire Safe Council of San Luis Obispo County
More
San Luis Obispo County's 2025 Weed Abatement Ordinance requires owners in the County Fire Local Responsibility Area to keep 100 feet of defensible space around structures, enforced by San Luis Obispo County Fire (CAL FIRE San Luis Obispo Unit) with a 15-day Notice to Abate and a $428 fine. In April 2025 the Board of Supervisors adopted the State Fire Marshal's new hazard zones, which expanded High and Very High areas around Los Osos, Morro Bay, the Five Cities, Atascadero and Paso Robles. Contractors below are ranked by public Google rating.
Services in San Luis Obispo County
More in San Luis Obispo County 6
Serving all of California 8
Also on record 1
-
Tutt Tree and Crane Service
Defensible space rules in San Luis Obispo County
Fire hazard zones in San Luis Obispo County
In April 2025 the Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted the State Fire Marshal’s recommended Moderate, High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. High and Very High areas grew in coastal and foothill areas around Morro Bay, Los Osos and the Five Cities, around San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly, and from the Santa Lucia Range north along the Salinas River near Atascadero and Paso Robles. County Fire posts the 2025 LRA map for download, and you can check a single parcel in CAL FIRE’s FHSZ Viewer.
Local rules and deadlines
The county’s Weed Abatement Ordinance, adopted in 2025, applies in the unincorporated Local Responsibility Area served by County Fire. Owners must clear or reduce combustible vegetation within 100 feet of structures or to the property line, remove dead plants and debris, keep roofs and gutters clean, and keep branches away from chimneys. Parcels of an acre or more need a 30-foot perimeter break mowed to 4 inches. A neighbor whose land is within 100 feet of your home has to clear their side. Violations get a Notice to Abate with typically 15 days to comply or appeal; after that the county can clear the property and charge a $428 fine plus costs, recorded as a lien if unpaid. In the State Responsibility Area, state law requires 100 feet of defensible space.
Free chipping and fire-safe programs
The Fire Safe Council of San Luis Obispo County runs free curbside chipping events community by community for residents in a CAL FIRE hazard zone. You sign up online, stack brush and limbs under 8 inches in diameter in one linear pile near the road, and the crew chips it at no charge.
County resources
Start with County Fire’s hazard abatement page for the rules and AB 38 inspection requests, the FHSZ Viewer for your zone, and the Fire Safe Council for chipping dates. The contractors listed below serve San Luis Obispo County and can help clear a property before a Notice to Abate or a home sale.
Frequently asked questions 5
Who enforces defensible space rules in San Luis Obispo County?
San Luis Obispo County Fire enforces the county's Weed Abatement Ordinance in the unincorporated Local Responsibility Area it serves. Cities such as San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Atascadero, and community services districts, set their own hazard abatement rules. In the State Responsibility Area, state defensible space law applies. Questions go to County Fire prevention at 805-503-5715 or SLU.Prevention@fire.ca.gov.
What happens if I get a Notice to Abate?
You typically have 15 days to correct the violation, or you can request a hearing to appeal. If the hazard isn't fixed, the county may clear it and charge you a $428 fine, all abatement costs and administrative costs, which can be placed as a lien or special assessment on the property.
How much clearance do I need?
Clear or reduce combustible vegetation within 100 feet of structures or to the property line, remove dead vegetation and debris, keep roofs and gutters clear, and trim branches away from chimneys. Parcels of an acre or more also need a 30-foot perimeter break with vegetation cut to 4 inches or less.
Am I in a fire hazard severity zone?
Enter your address in CAL FIRE's Fire Hazard Severity Zone Viewer. The county adopted the state's updated zones in 2025, and they expanded in Los Osos, Morro Bay, the Five Cities area and around Atascadero and Paso Robles. If you sell a home in a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (in the LRA or the SRA), state law (Civil Code 1102.19, from AB 38) requires you to give the buyer documentation of a defensible space inspection, or the buyer must agree to get one after the sale; County Fire charges $178 for an LRA inspection.
Is chipping free in San Luis Obispo County?
Yes, if you live in a CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone. The Fire Safe Council of San Luis Obispo County schedules free curbside chipping events by neighborhood; you cut and stack the material yourself and reserve a spot at chipperday.com/slofsc.