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Wildfire Mitigation Contractors in Santa Clara County, CA
Santa Clara County in 30 secondsContractors, local rules, where to get help
49 wildfire mitigation contractors are listed for Santa Clara County, 39 with a clear CSLB license.
- Fire hazard zones
- Look up your address
CAL FIRE released updated Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for Santa Clara County on February 24, 2025. They map Moderate, High and Very High zones based on fuels, slope, fire weather and wind; across the county's locally protected land that comes to 14,926 acres Very High, 29,504 High and 25,480 Moderate, per the State Fire Marshal. You can look up a parcel on the county's interactive LRA map, or statewide on CAL FIRE's Fire Hazard Severity Zone Viewer.
- Defensible space rules
- Source
Under state Health and Safety Code sections 14875–14922, the County Weed Abatement Program can inspect properties, order work and recover its costs. Its Minimum Fire Safety Standards require flammable vegetation to stay under 6 inches at any time after the compliance deadline, including within 10 feet of roads and driveways. Roads and driveways need 10 feet of width and 13 feet 6 inches of height clear of vegetation. You also need at least 30 feet of clearance around any structure, and slopes can require up to 100 feet. Parcels of one acre or less must be fully abated. Parcels over one acre need 30 feet of clearance around structures and along property lines, and parcels over five acres also need 30-foot cross fuel breaks that split the rest into sections of five acres or less. Flammable debris must be cleared, roofs and gutters kept free of leaves, and trees trimmed 10 feet back from chimneys, 6 feet up from the ground and out from under the eaves. In unincorporated areas, the inspection deadline is April 1, and the standards must be kept until October 31. If an inspector finds a violation, you have two weeks to fix it. If the county contractor does the work, the owner pays county fees plus the full contractor invoice. These charges go on the property tax bill.
- Chipping
- Source
The Santa Clara County FireSafe Council runs a free chipping program for wildland-urban interface residents, and Santa Clara County Fire pays for it. You can book a chipping at your home or drive brush to a community event. At-home piles must sit within 10 feet of the street, stay under 4 feet tall and hold limbs under 4 inches thick. Only woody brush is accepted, so no leaves, pine needles, broom, poison oak, stumps or lumber. Registration for fall 2026 is open to Saratoga and County Fire District residents. Los Altos Hills County Fire District residents use their district's own chipping sign-up.
- Fire Safe Council
- Santa Clara County FireSafe Council
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In Santa Clara County, the County Fire Department mails homeowners in High and Very High fire hazard zones a spring letter saying whether they must keep 30 or 100 feet of defensible space. The county's Weed Abatement Program enforces its own Minimum Fire Safety Standards, and in unincorporated areas the inspection deadline is April 1. CAL FIRE released new Local Responsibility Area hazard maps for the county on February 24, 2025, with Moderate, High and Very High zones. Contractors below are ranked by public Google rating.
More in Santa Clara County 39
Serving all of California 8
Also on record 12
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A Farmer's Son Tractor Service
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Bama's Tree
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California Grazing
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Long's Custom Disc Service
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Majestic Tree Service
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New Sky Tree Service
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Nor-Cal Tree and Stump Service
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Robert Enos' Dirt Works
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Skyline Tree Experts
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South County Mowing
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Superior Tree Service Inc.
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Territo's Weed Abatement
Defensible space rules in Santa Clara County
Fire hazard zones in Santa Clara County
On February 24, 2025, CAL FIRE released new Local Responsibility Area hazard maps for the county. They sort land into Moderate, High and Very High zones using fuel loading, slope, fire weather and wind. The State Fire Marshal’s acreage table counts 14,926 Very High, 29,504 High and 25,480 Moderate acres of locally protected land in the county, plus 409,197 Very High acres of state-protected land under the 2024 map. For unincorporated land, check your parcel on the county’s interactive FHSZ map. You can also search any address on CAL FIRE’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone Viewer.
Local rules and deadlines
Every spring, Santa Clara County Fire writes to homeowners in High and Very High zones. The letter says whether 30 or 100 feet of defensible space applies to your home. State law requires you to keep that space all year. The county’s Weed Abatement Program sets these Minimum Fire Safety Standards:
- Keep flammable vegetation under 6 inches, including within 10 feet of roads and driveways.
- Keep at least 30 feet of clearance around structures, and up to 100 feet on slopes.
- Clear parcels of one acre or less completely. On larger parcels, clear 30 feet around structures and along property lines, and add 30-foot cross fuel breaks on parcels over five acres.
- Trim tree branches 6 feet up from the ground and 10 feet away from chimneys, and keep roofs and gutters free of leaves.
In unincorporated areas, inspections begin April 1, and the standards must be kept through October 31. If an inspector finds a violation, you have two weeks to fix it before the re-inspection. After that, a county contractor can clear the parcel. The 2026 fees and the contractor’s full bill then go on your property tax statement. A parcel leaves the program only after three compliant years in a row.
Free chipping and fire-safe programs
The Santa Clara County FireSafe Council runs a free Community Chipping Program for residents of the wildland-urban interface, under contract with County Fire. You can book chipping at your home or bring brush to a drive-up community event. Keep limbs under 4 inches thick and piles under 4 feet tall, within 10 feet of the street. The Council also offers Home Ignition Zone assessments. A trained Council representative spends an hour walking your property with you and gives you written recommendations.
County resources
Start with County Fire’s wildfire FAQ and the Weed Abatement Program’s standards and FAQ. For chipping and home assessments, contact the FireSafe Council. The contractors listed below serve Santa Clara County and can help get a property ready before its inspection.
Frequently asked questions 5
Who enforces defensible space in Santa Clara County?
Two agencies enforce it. Santa Clara County Fire sends yearly letters to homeowners in High and Very High hazard zones. The letter lists what you must do, when inspections happen and the compliance deadline. If you don't comply, County Fire can refer your property to the County Weed Abatement Program, run by the Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency. That program can order the work done and bill you.
How wide does my defensible space have to be?
It depends on where you live. County Fire's spring letter tells each owner in a High or Very High zone whether 30 or 100 feet applies. The Weed Abatement standards require at least 30 feet of clearance around any structure, and slopes can require up to 100 feet. Parcels of one acre or less must be completely cleared. Larger parcels need 30-foot clearance along structures and property lines, and parcels over five acres also need 30-foot cross fuel breaks.
What happens if I don't clear my property?
The County's contractor may disc, mow or hand-clear the parcel. You then pay the county's 2026 fees plus 100% of the contractor's invoice. The fees are $296 for the initial inspection, $953 for work-order processing and $1,383 in administrative fees, plus $3,006 if a warrant is needed. All of these charges appear on your property tax bill as a special assessment. Once an inspector finds a violation, you have two weeks to fix it before the re-inspection. You stay in the program until you have three compliant years in a row.
Am I in a fire hazard severity zone?
CAL FIRE released updated Local Responsibility Area maps on February 24, 2025. They cover Moderate, High and Very High zones. Search your address on the county's interactive FHSZ map, or on CAL FIRE's statewide viewer. Cities such as Cupertino, Los Gatos and Saratoga publish their own LRA maps.
Is chipping free?
Yes, for residents of the wildland-urban interface. The FireSafe Council runs the program under contract with County Fire. You cut and stack the brush yourself, keeping limbs under 4 inches thick and piles under 4 feet tall. A crew then chips it during a 5-day window.