- Home
- Santa Barbara County
Wildfire Mitigation Contractors in Santa Barbara County, CA
Santa Barbara County in 30 secondsContractors, local rules, where to get help
30 wildfire mitigation contractors are listed for Santa Barbara County, 27 with a clear CSLB license.
- Fire hazard zones
- Look up your address
On March 10, 2025, CAL FIRE released updated Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for Santa Barbara County, the first update since 2009, rating land Moderate, High or Very High. County Fire published the state map for the unincorporated area alongside proposed local amendments that can only raise hazard levels, and both appear in its interactive FHSZ web map, where owners can look up a parcel.
- Defensible space rules
- Source
County Fire's Development Standard #6 (Defensible Space), which applies Chapter 15 of the County Code, the California Fire Code and PRC 4291, requires at least 100 feet of defensible space around structures in SRA and in LRA Very High zones, or to the property line if that is closer. The Fire Code Official can require more on steep terrain or in heavy fuels. Within that zone, brush must be modified, trees and shrubs kept free of deadwood, roofs kept clear, chimneys given 10 feet of clearance from trees, and access roads cleared 10 feet on each side with 13 feet 6 inches overhead. On every parcel, weeds must be removed or mowed below 4 inches. Owners who miss the Hazard Reduction notice deadline get a misdemeanor citation, and if County Fire abates the hazard, its costs and fees are added to the property taxes.
- Chipping
- Source
The Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council runs a free, CAL FIRE grant-funded Community Chipping Program in selected high-risk south coast neighborhoods (the 2026 round began April 6). Residents cut vegetation, stack it at the curb by their neighborhood's date, and a contractor chips and hauls it away. Branches must be over 3 feet long and under 16 inches in diameter, and no pre-booking is needed.
- Fire Safe Council
- Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council
More
Santa Barbara County Fire requires at least 100 feet of defensible space around structures (or to the property line) in State Responsibility Areas and in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in Local Responsibility Areas. Through its annual Hazard Reduction Program it inspects properties and cites owners who miss the compliance date. CAL FIRE's March 10, 2025 update was its first revision of the county's local hazard zone maps since 2009. Contractors below are ranked by public Google rating.
Services in Santa Barbara County
More in Santa Barbara County 20
Serving all of California 8
Also on record 6
-
Central City Tree & Landscape Services
-
Coastal Landscape & Tree Services
-
Eco Tree Works
-
Graham Hallissey Construction
-
Nimble Tree Care
-
Wildfire Warden
Defensible space rules in Santa Barbara County
Fire hazard zones in Santa Barbara County
On March 10, 2025, CAL FIRE released updated Local Responsibility Area hazard maps for Santa Barbara County, its first revision since 2009, with land rated Moderate, High or Very High. Six fire departments with local areas were affected: County Fire, Santa Barbara City, Montecito, Carpinteria-Summerland, Lompoc and Santa Maria. County Fire posted the state map for the unincorporated area along with proposed local amendments. Those amendments draw on local knowledge such as sundowner winds and evacuation difficulty, and state law lets local agencies raise hazard ratings but never lower them. Use the county’s interactive FHSZ web map to see your parcel’s zone.
Local rules and deadlines
County Fire’s Development Standard #6 (revised 2026) requires at least 100 feet of defensible space around structures in State Responsibility Areas and in local Very High zones, stopping at the property line. Every parcel in the district must keep weeds removed or mowed below 4 inches. Existing properties don’t get grandfathered in: old fuel-modification zones must be brought up to the current standard. Under the Hazard Reduction Program, County Fire mails notices each year and gives owners about three weeks to comply. Anyone who misses the deadline gets a misdemeanor citation. If the department clears the property itself, the owner pays the contractor and administrative costs through the property tax bill. Inspectors aim for more than 15,500 inspections a year.
Free chipping and fire-safe programs
The Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council runs a free, grant-funded Community Chipping Program in selected south coast neighborhoods with very high fire risk. The 2026 round began April 6. Residents cut brush within 100 feet of structures and roads and stack it at the curb by their neighborhood’s date, and a contractor chips it and hauls it away. The council also tags and trims roadside branches along evacuation routes and offers free home wildfire evaluations.
County resources
Useful starting points:
- County Fire’s Defensible Space Program page, which also takes sale-disclosure inspection requests
- Development Standard #6 for the detailed requirements
- the Fire Safe Council for chipping and evaluations
The contractors listed below serve Santa Barbara County and can help bring a property into compliance before inspection season or a sale.
Frequently asked questions 5
Who enforces defensible space in Santa Barbara County?
Santa Barbara County Fire enforces defensible space in its jurisdiction, and its engine companies and inspectors aim to complete more than 15,500 inspections a year together with CAL FIRE. Some areas, including the City of Santa Barbara and the Montecito and Carpinteria-Summerland fire districts, have their own fire departments.
What happens if I don't comply with a hazard reduction notice?
County Fire mails annual notices that give owners about three weeks to clear their property. Owners who miss the compliance date receive a misdemeanor citation, which may require a court appearance. If the department has to abate the hazard itself, the owner pays all costs, including contractor and administrative fees, which are added to the property taxes.
How wide does my defensible space have to be?
The minimum is 100 feet from structures, or to the property line if that is closer. You only maintain the part that falls on your own land. County Fire can require more depending on terrain or fuel conditions, and access roads need 10 feet of clearance on each side.
Am I in a fire hazard zone?
Check County Fire's interactive FHSZ web map, which shows CAL FIRE's 2025 zones for State and Local Responsibility Areas along with the county's proposed amendments. Sellers in qualifying zones must give buyers a defensible space inspection completed within 6 months of the sale, and County Fire takes inspection requests online.
Is chipping free in Santa Barbara County?
Yes, in participating neighborhoods. The Fire Safe Council's grant-funded Community Chipping Program chips and hauls away curbside brush at no cost in selected south coast areas with very high fire risk. Residents get a postcard with their dates, and the council's online map shows whether an address is in the project area.