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Wildfire Mitigation Contractors in Tulare County, CA
Tulare County in 30 secondsContractors, local rules, where to get help
17 wildfire mitigation contractors are listed for Tulare County, 15 with a clear CSLB license.
- Fire hazard zones
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Tulare County Fire applies stricter rules to parcels in a Local Responsibility Area Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (100-foot defensible space) than to Moderate, High or unzoned LRA parcels. Look up a parcel in the LRA Fire Hazard Severity Zone Viewer linked from the department's Hazard Abatement Program page; foothill parcels with structures in the State Responsibility Area fall under CAL FIRE.
- Defensible space rules
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Tulare County Fire's LRA Defensible Space and Minimum Weeds, Grass and Rubbish Abatement Standards implement the county ordinance on fire-hazardous weeds and rubbish. In an LRA Very High zone, owners must keep 100 feet of defensible space on every side of a structure (not past the property line), with the heaviest fuel reduction between 5 and 30 feet, an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet, branches cut back 10 feet from chimneys, and roofs kept free of leaves and needles. Elsewhere in the LRA, parcels with structures or combustible storage need 30-foot fuelbreaks around them; open lots of 5 acres or less must keep all weeds and grass at 3 inches, and larger lots need 30-foot fuelbreaks and 15-foot crossbreaks about every 5 acres (40- and 20-foot widths if mowed instead of disced). Road edges and driveways must be cleared 10 feet from the pavement, and all rubbish removed. The program is enforcement, not a service: owners do the work or hire a contractor, and can file a compliance form or request an administrative review after a notice.
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Tulare County Fire Department's Hazard Abatement Program enforces the county ordinance on fire-hazardous weeds and rubbish on every parcel in the Local Responsibility Area (the valley) and on vacant lots in foothill subdivisions, with 30-foot fuelbreaks around structures as the base standard. Parcels in an LRA Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone must keep full 100-foot defensible space, while CAL FIRE handles developed parcels in the State Responsibility Area. Contractors below are ranked by public Google rating.
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Defensible space rules in Tulare County
Fire hazard zones in Tulare County
Tulare County Fire uses the state’s Fire Hazard Severity Zones to decide which standard applies to a Local Responsibility Area parcel. In a Very High zone, full 100-foot defensible space is required; in Moderate, High or unzoned areas, the county’s weed and rubbish standards apply instead. Check your parcel in the LRA Fire Hazard Severity Zone Viewer linked from the county’s Hazard Abatement Program page. Foothill parcels with homes in the State Responsibility Area are regulated by CAL FIRE.
Local rules and deadlines
The Hazard Abatement Program enforces the county ordinance on fire-hazardous weeds and rubbish. In LRA Very High zones, owners must keep 100 feet of defensible space, an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet, branches 10 feet from chimneys, and clean roofs. Elsewhere, homes and combustible storage need a 30-foot fuelbreak; open lots up to 5 acres must be kept at 3 inches; larger lots need 30-foot fuelbreaks and 15-foot crossbreaks every 5 acres or so (40 and 20 feet if mowed), and roadsides and driveways must be cleared 10 feet from the pavement. There is no single cutoff date: the rules apply year-round and are most critical from about April through October. After a notice, you can file a compliance form or ask for an administrative review.
County resources
Start with the Tulare County Fire Prevention Division and its hazard abatement standards, or call the complaint hotline at (559) 802-9807; for SRA parcels with homes, contact CAL FIRE at (559) 732-5954. The contractors listed below serve Tulare County and can help clear, disc or mow a property to the county standard.
Frequently asked questions 5
Who enforces weed and hazard abatement in Tulare County?
The Tulare County Fire Department's Prevention Division runs the Hazard Abatement Program for all Local Responsibility Area parcels and for vacant lots in established foothill subdivisions in the State Responsibility Area. CAL FIRE regulates vegetation clearance on SRA parcels that have structures; call CAL FIRE at (559) 732-5954 about those. The county's hazard complaint hotline is (559) 802-9807.
How much clearance do I need?
It depends on your zone. In an LRA Very High zone, 100 feet of defensible space around structures (to the property line at most), with an ember-resistant zone in the first 5 feet. In Moderate, High or unzoned LRA areas, a 30-foot fuelbreak around structures and combustible storage, weeds and grass kept at 3 inches on lots of 5 acres or less, and 10 feet cleared along roads and driveways.
When do I have to clear my property?
The standards apply all year and aren't a one-time task; you'll likely need to cut more than once. The county says it is most critical during the high fire months, usually April through October. Try to finish discing or mowing before 10 a.m. to avoid starting a fire.
What if I get a notice and think my property is fine?
If you've already cleared the hazard, submit the Hazard Abatement Compliance Form. If you think it isn't a hazard, you can print, complete and send in the Request for Administration Review form.
Are there rules for discing large parcels?
Yes. Discing must turn under all burnable vegetation, and on open areas of 3 acres or more in rural areas it must follow San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Rule 8051 on dust. Mowing that leaves 3 inches of stubble is exempt from that rule.