Cleared slope below a house: a pile of branches, wood chips and a mulcher at the edge of the brush

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Brush Clearing

Brush Clearing Contractors in Santa Cruz County, CA

18 listed 12 license Clear Updated Sep 27, 2026

Brush Clearing in Santa Cruz County in 30 secondsWhat it covers, how we rank

18 brush clearing services are listed for Santa Cruz County, ranked below by public Google rating and review count (paid placements are labeled and shown first). Under California PRC 4291, homes in fire hazard severity zones must maintain 100 feet of defensible space — most of these contractors also handle the full clearance scope.

Brush clearing is the removal of overgrown chaparral, scrub and understory fuels — the heavy-labor part of wildfire preparedness. For most rural California properties it is how the 100-foot clearance required by PRC 4291 actually gets done.

What it covers: Cutting and removing brush, chaparral and scrubMastication of heavy fuels with tracked machineryHand-crew work on slopes and terrain machines cannot reachChipping on site or hauling debris awayClearing access roads and fuel breaks
Listed here: 18 brush clearing services, 12 with a clear CSLB license

Do you need a licensed contractor for this?

It depends

Hand clearing of brush, grass and ladder-fuel shrubs needs no license.

Ask for a license (C‑49, C‑27) when the job includes removing trees, pruning trees 15 ft or taller, stump grinding, or grading with a dozer/tractor (A, C‑12, C‑27).

Details and sources

This is a hint for when to ask, not legal advice.

B&P Code §7026.1 · CSLB license classifications