Fire Safe Regulations

On August 16, 2022, the Board of Forestry adopted amendments to the State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations (14 CCR 1270.00 et seq.) The regulations were reviewed by the Office of Administrative Law and went into effect on January 1, 2023. The amendments were adopted for the narrow purpose of establishing standards for fuel breaks, preserving ridgelines, clarifying inspection and enforcement authority, promoting compliance, and increasing flexibility for local jurisdictions. There were no regulatory changes related to standards for existing roads or the exceptions to standards process and authority. When development proposals cannot meet all technical requirements, the County will continue to review all aspects of a project, including existing offsite roads, when evaluating a request for exceptions to standards to ensure there are adequate fire safety measures in place that provide the same practical effect toward providing defensible space and fire safety.