CONNECT with the CityWildfire Prevention and Mitigation
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation section is divided into four main areas: Proactive Door-to-Door Brush Management, Weed Abatement and Brush Complaints, Real Estate Defensible Space Inspections, and Annual Vacant Lot Weed Abatement.
Guide to Defensible Space for Property Owners
Proper brush management helps reduce wildfire risks in San Diego's Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Homeowners or responsible person(s) are responsible for creating and maintaining defensible space around all habitable structures on their property in the City’s Very High Fire Severity Zones.
NEW! As of February 12, 2026, all new structures in Very High Fire Severity Zones in San Diego must follow Zone 0 guidelines outlined in California Assembly Bill 3074 (AB 3074). Current home and property owners will need to take steps to meet Zone 0 by February 12, 2027.
Learn more about Brush Management and Zone 0
Weed Abatement & Brush Complaints
This program addresses complaints to help reduce fire hazards in the city’s wildland urban interface. To submit a brush complaint, please visit the Citizen Complaint Inspections page.
Real Estate Defensible Space Inspections
As of July 1, 2021, California law requires a defensible space inspection when selling property located in a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
This requirement comes from California Civil Code 1102.19(a), which requires sellers to provide documentation showing the property meets defensible space standards under state law or local vegetation management rules (Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code or SDMC 142.0412).
We now accept online payment for a Real Estate Defensible Space Inspections. Payment must be submitted with your application for the inspection to be scheduled.
Request a Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection
1
Visit the Customer Portal
- Click "Request an Inspection" to expand the options.
- Find the "Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection" section and click "Request".
- Log in to your customer account, or click "Register" to create a new account.
- Once logged in, click "Request an Inspection" from the top toolbar. Then, select "Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection" from the dropdown menu.
Note: Creating an account is required to submit an inspection request.
2
Complete the Application
Key Fields to Note:
- Applicant Contact Information - Enter the details of the person submitting the application (e.g., real estate agent, homeowner, property manager).
- Billing Contact Information - If the applicant is not responsible for payment (e.g., a real estate agent applying on behalf of a homeowner), select "No" when asked "Is Billing Information same as Applicant Information?".
- Enter the billing contact's name and email (e.g., homeowner).
- Both the applicant and billing contact will receive the confirmation email, which includes the invoice.
3
Submit the Application & Make a Payment
- After submitting your application, click the "Proceed to Pay" button to submit your online payment.
- If payment is not made at the time of application, and the billing contact is different from the applicant, the billing contact will also receive a copy of the invoice. The application status will remain "Pending Payment" until payment is submitted.
- The billing contact can use the guest checkout option to submit payment without creating an account. Further instructions and the link to the guest checkout will be included in the confirmation email sent to both the applicant and billing contact.
Note: Payment must be submitted for the inspection to be scheduled. Inspections will not be conducted without payment.
4
Inspection
- After submitting your application and payment, you will receive a follow-up phone call or email from a Defensible Space Inspector within 2 to 4 business days to schedule an appointment.
- Inspections are conducted during regular business hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and typically take 10 to 14 business days from the request date to be conducted.
- After the inspection, you will receive the inspection report stating whether the property is in compliance.
For any additional questions or concerns regarding the Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection, please contact us at SDFDDSInspections@sandiego.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is a Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection Required?
California Civil Code 1102.19(a) established that, as of July 1, 2021, when you sell property that is located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone you'll need documentation of a compliant Defensible Space Inspection (DSI) that complies with Section 4291 of the Public Resources Code or local vegetation management ordinances (SDMC 142.0412).
Will I be charged for a Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection?
Beginning July 1, 2022, a $118.00 fee will be charged for a Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection. Payment must be submitted with your application in order for the inspection to be scheduled. Inspections will not proceed without payment.
Please note: Cancellation requests must be made at least two (2) business days prior to scheduled inspection or you will be charged for the inspection. You will need to submit a new application after a cancelled inspection request if you still wish to receive an inspection.
What if my property does not pass the inspection?
If your property does not pass on the first attempt, the inspector will explain what work needs to be completed to bring the property into compliance and schedule a reinspection date. The property will be required to be brought into compliance within the legal due process time frame. However, if the property will not meet compliance with City’s SDMC 142.0412 or California Fire Code prior the close of escrow, the seller and the buyer shall enter into a written agreement pursuant to which the buyer agrees to obtain documentation of compliance within one year after closing escrow.
Proactive Brush Management Program
This citywide program includes door-to-door brush assessments for privately owned properties located along canyon rims in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in the city of San Diego. Properties outside of the program are only assessed in response to a complaint.
Proactive Brush Management Boundary Map
September 2023
Annual Vacant Lot Weed Abatement Program
The program focuses on addressing privately-owned vacant lots that do not meet brush management requirements. The City uses Fire Prevention Services, Inc., a private company under contract with the City to conduct weed abatement in these areas.
Fire Prevention Services Inc. (FPSI)
Fire Prevention Services Inc. (FPSI), a City-contracted private company, runs the proactive program for privately owned vacant lots. Following the winter rains, FPSI sends a Request for Weed Abatement Cooperation form letter to property owners requesting that they voluntarily cut and remove weeds and combustible waste matter from their lots. The request informs the owner(s) that an on-site inspection will be conducted within 30 days.
At the time of the inspection, if a property is in violation of the California Fire Code, a Notice of Violation will be issued by FPSI, acting as the agent for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
When a property with a structure which has been issued a Notice of Violation for weed abatement is not brought into compliance, the property will be abated by a City contractor. The property owner will incur all costs for the Administrative Abatement Procedure, Municipal Code 54.0206.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did I receive a notice for my vacant lot?
The Notice is an annual reminder, sent by Fire Prevention Services Inc. (FPSI), to owners of vacant parcels within the City of San Diego.
A few weeks after the reminder is sent, FPSI will be conducting inspections on the vacant properties. Properties not in compliance with the City Municipal Code and the California Fire Code will be issued an official Notice of Violation for compliance.
What authority does FPSI have to enforce the Notice of Violation I received for my vacant property?
FPSI has the legal authority, as an agent of the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, to enforce the California Fire Code as it pertains to weeds and combustible debris in the City of San Diego. It is the owner's responsibility to keep his/her property free of fire hazards at all times.
Do I have a right to an appeal hearing?
Yes. If you protest the code as it pertains to your parcel, or if you want to request an exemption from clearing the property at this time, you must submit the appeal in writing to San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, Attn: Weed Abatement, 600 B Street, Suite 1300, San Diego, CA 92101. Parcels cannot arbitrarily be exempted.
How much will it cost to have the city clear my property?
The City's cost to clear a parcel will be extremely high compared to what the cost would be privately. The price for city abatements are set by a contract agreement.
I no longer own the property, what do I do with the notice?
At times, the records available are not always up to date. The notice is sent to the Owner of Record listed on the last county assessment roll. Please let FPSI know immediately if you no longer own the property by calling 619-562-1058.
Why do I have to clear the parkway when it is City property?
It is the owner's responsibility to maintain his property extending to the center of the street, including parkways, sidewalks, alleys, easements, etc. in accordance with the state weed abatement requirements and Municipal Code 54.0206.
Why am I responsible for clearing when others are dumping all the trash on my property?
Per Sec 54.0201 of the Municipal Code, the property owner is responsible for the maintenance of his/her own property at all times.
The lot next to mine is filthy and no work is ever done. Why?
The lot may not have been included in the Annual Weed Abatement Program because records indicated that a change in ownership was recorded after the Notice of Violation was issued.
To register a complaint regarding brush and weed issues, call Brush Management/Weed Abatement at 619-533-4444.
My neighbor has a mulch pile on his property. Is this legal?
Any mulch, compost or fertilizer poses a fire hazard. Depending on its contents, any of these are subject to spontaneous ignition under certain conditions. A fire burning within compost, mulch or fertilizer is very difficult to extinguish. The consistency of a mulch pile or compost should be of small, chipped pieces of natural waste material that decays in a timely manner.
San Diego Municipal Code 44.0108 states: "No person shall place or deposit, or cause to be placed or deposited, any garbage, dead animals, or any animal or vegetable matter, or any putrid or decaying matter of any kind, at any place within the corporate limits of the said City of San Diego, without burying the same in trenches at least six feet deep and covering the same with no less than two feet of soil."
San Diego Municipal Code 44.0203 states: "No person shall keep or store any fertilizer in excess of two cubic yards, on any premises within fifty (50) feet of any building occupied as a residence by human beings except in a container, bin or room which is fly-tight, dust proof and ventilated in such a manner as to prevent the fertilizer materials from becoming a harbor for rodents, a breeding place for flies, offensive to the human senses, or a public nuisance."
Mulch, compost and fertilizer storage is acceptable if stored under the listed conditions of section 44.0108 or 44.0203 of the Municipal Code. All other accumulation of these will be considered accumulated waste material and designated a fire hazard.
Erosion Control
The following resources are available to help property owners prevent erosion on properties that have been affected by fire.
- Post-Fire Mitigation Tips for Homeowners
- Press Release on City Erosion Control Efforts
- Useful Tips for Cleaning Up Ash and Debris