Most jobs
By the job: one written price
One price for all three zones, set before we start. It does not grow on the day, and the photo set is part of it.
Defensible space clearing in Sonora and Tuolumne County
Defensible space clearing is cutting back the brush, grass and limbs in the 100 feet around your house, the space California's PRC 4291 asks owners to keep, zone by zone from the walls out. We do it in Sonora and across Tuolumne County for owners with an inspection notice, an insurance letter or a house going on the market.
Most homes take one day. You get one written price before we start, and a set of before and after photos of every zone when we finish, ready to send to your insurer.
Last updated October 19, 2026.
- The rule
- 100 feet from the house, or to your property line, under PRC 4291.
- How long
- One day for most homes.
- Price
- One written price by the job. A flat day rate on some projects.
- Proof
- Before and after photos of every zone.
Who needs defensible space clearing?
Anyone who owns a building on or near brush, grass or forest land in Tuolumne County has to keep defensible space around it. Most people call us when one of these arrives.
- A CAL FIRE noticeOutside Sonora, CAL FIRE's Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit inspects under the state law and comes back to check what was on the list.
- A Sonora Fire inspectionInside city limits, the Sonora Fire Department inspects defensible space every year under the city's own code.
- An insurance letterIn 2023 insurers declined to renew about 18 percent of the Tuolumne County homeowners policies that came up for renewal, about twice the state rate.
- A saleIn a High or Very High fire hazard zone, a seller has to give the buyer proof of defensible space. Read how the AB 38 inspection works when you sell.
- A Firewise communityTuolumne County has 18 Firewise communities, and the review beside this list is from a member of one.
Very responsible and capable crew. Great communication, and good hard work that helps our Firewise Community.
A 5-star Google review of our crew, quoted word for word.
What does defensible space clearing include, zone by zone?
Defensible space clearing covers every zone of the 100 feet: the first five feet against the house, the yard out to 30 feet, and the reduced fuel zone out to 100. The table shows what CAL FIRE asks for in each zone and what we clear there.
| Zone | What the rules ask for | What we clear there |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 00 to 5 feet |
Not required yet. The Board of Forestry adopted Zone 0 rules on August 19, 2026 and withdrew them on September 8, 2026 (checked October 17, 2026). CAL FIRE still recommends:
|
On the job we strip that five-foot strip down to soil, gravel or pavers, clear out from under the deck and stairs, and bag and haul what we pull so no ember has anything to land in. |
| Zone 15 to 30 feet |
|
This is where the inspector looks hardest, so this is where we spend most of the day: dead plants out, low limbs up, the roofline and chimney cleared, the shrubs spaced, and every armful raked and hauled. |
| Zone 230 to 100 feet |
|
Out here the goal is less fuel, not bare dirt: we cut the grass short, lift the limbs, thin the brush to the spacing your slope needs, and leave the trees and their shade standing. |
Zone 0 may come back at any time. Where California's Zone 0 rule stands now, and what to do in the first five feet meanwhile.
Defensible space clearing before and after
Our own photos of one side yard, before we started and after we finished, in the first five feet an inspector looks at. They show the same wall but were not taken from the exact same spot.
Dead limbs and grass removed along a wall. Dead limbs and dry grass right against the siding, the first five feet inspectors look at. Raked down to gravel.
Further out from the house
How does a defensible space clearing job go?
-
Tell us the date
Call or send the form, and tell us the date on your notice or letter if you have one. We call back the same day.
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We walk it like an inspector
We walk the 100 feet with you, zone by zone, and note what has to go. In person, or on the phone if you are away.
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One written price
One price for the whole job, with hauling and dump fees in it, set before we start.
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Cleared, with a photo set
We clear each zone, rake up and send before and after photos of every zone for your insurer or inspector.
How much does defensible space clearing cost?
Defensible space clearing is priced by the job. We walk the 100 feet and give you one written price before we start, with hauling and dump fees in it, and some projects are done at a flat day rate instead. The size of the lot, the slope and how overgrown it is set most of the price.
Some projects
By the day: a crew and gear, one flat rate
A crew for the day with the gear the work needs, at one flat rate, getting as much done as the day allows.
What moves the price of defensible space clearing
- Lot size, and how much of the 100 feet is on your side of the property line
- Slope: on steep ground CAL FIRE asks for wider gaps between trees and shrubs, so more comes out
- How overgrown it is, and how much of it is dead
- Limbs to cut back from the roof and the chimney
- Inside Sonora city limits, the city's shorter grass and its property line strip
- Whether the cut material is chipped or hauled
For what brush and fuel work costs here, see our 2026 Sonora brush clearing cost guide.
They cleared around my trees, took care of a couple hillsides, and did the full perimeter. Got it all done at a reasonable price.
A 5-star Google review of our crew, quoted word for word and shortened.
What local rules apply on top of the state rule?
Two local codes go further than the state. Inside Sonora city limits, Chapter 8.12 sets a shorter grass height and a strip along property lines. In the rest of Tuolumne County, Chapter 8.14 adds driveway clearance and covers vacant lots. We clear to whichever one applies at your address.
| Rule | Inside Sonora city limits (Chapter 8.12) | Rest of Tuolumne County (Chapter 8.14) |
|---|---|---|
| Dry grass | Cut to 2 inches | Cut to 4 inches, as the state asks |
| Along lines and drives | A 10-foot reduced fuel strip along each property line that borders a building or a driveway | A 10-foot reduced fuel strip along driveways and roads, with 15 feet clear overhead |
| Vacant lots | Covered, with or without a building | Cleared wherever the lot is within 100 feet of a neighbor's building |
| Who inspects | Sonora Fire Department, every year, (209) 532-7432 | CAL FIRE, and the county Fire Prevention Division, (209) 533-5118 |
These figures are from the city's 2019 ordinance (Ordinance 835). Sonora Fire, (209) 532-7432, can confirm them for your lot.
Every rule, with the source for each, is on our page on defensible space rules in Sonora and Tuolumne County.
What if the inspector still finds something?
It rarely comes to that, because we clear to the same checklist the inspector uses. If it does, call us with the list and the re-inspection date, and we come back and clear what is on it before then. The return visit is priced again, usually at a discount. Fixing it soon is the cheaper path: under PRC 4291.1, a violation of the state's defensible space law is an infraction with a fine.
| Violation | What the law sets |
|---|---|
| First | An infraction, $100 to $500 |
| Second within five years | $250 to $500 |
| Third within five years | A misdemeanor, at least $500, and CAL FIRE may do the work and bill you for it |
If the problem is fixed before the fine is set, a court may reduce it to $50.
Is there help paying for defensible space?
Not much right now. The Tuolumne Fire Safe Council's free program for low-income seniors and disabled residents was full and not taking new applications as of May 2026.
Under California's Safer from Wildfires rules, insurers count defensible space toward a discount, and each insurer sets the size of it. Our before and after photos can be the proof you send.
Where do we do defensible space clearing?
Across Tuolumne County, from Sonora city lots under Chapter 8.12 to county parcels up Highway 108 under Chapter 8.14, and in Calaveras County too.
Keep reading
- Defensible space rules in Sonora and Tuolumne CountyThe state law, the city and county codes, inspections and fines
- Is Zone 0 law in California yet?The first five feet, where the rule stands and what to do now
- The AB 38 inspection when you sellWhat a seller in Tuolumne County needs before escrow
- Brush ClearingAlso called brush removal or clearing overgrown brush
- Lot and Land ClearingVacant lots, acreage, fence lines and fire breaks
- All of our brush clearing servicesThe three services side by side, and the smaller jobs we take on the same visit
Defensible space clearing questions
Have a notice in hand? Call us and read us the date on it.
Call (209) 243-5574How far out does defensible space clearing go?
Out to 100 feet from each side of the house, or to your property line if that is closer. The law does not make you clear land you do not own. If your 100 feet runs onto a neighbor's lot, we clear only your side unless the neighbor agrees in writing.
Do you clear Zone 0 if it is not required yet?
Yes, if you want it done. As of October 17, 2026 the Zone 0 rule for the first five feet is not in force, but CAL FIRE still recommends it, and California's Safer from Wildfires insurance discounts count a cleared five-foot zone. It is quick to add on the same visit.
Do you do the defensible space inspection?
No. We are not CAL FIRE and we do not do official inspections. We clear to the same checklist the inspectors use, plus the city or county rule on top of it, and send you photos of every zone. The inspection itself comes from CAL FIRE, Sonora Fire or the county.
Can I send your photos to my insurance company?
Yes. Before and after photos of every zone come with the job, and you can forward them to your insurer or agent. California's insurance department says you may need proof of the work to get a discount. We cannot promise what an insurer decides.
How soon before my inspection should I book?
As soon as you have the date. We walk most properties within a day or two of your call, and most homes take one day to clear. Schedules fill from February, so a spring notice is worth a call the week it arrives.
Do I have to be home while you clear?
No. Many owners live out of the area. We walk the property with you on the phone, agree on the written price, do the work while you are away and send before and after photos when we finish.
What about trees over 20 feet?
We limb big trees up and clear the brush under them, which covers most of what the 100 feet asks for. If a big tree near the house has to come down, we tell you at the walk-through and recommend a licensed tree service for it.
Get a free brush clearing estimate
Tell us where the property is and what needs clearing. We call you back the same day, usually within the hour, and set a time to walk it with you, in person or on the phone if you are out of the area.
- Call (209) 243-5574Monday to Friday 7 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 8 AM to 4 PM