Wildfire Hazard Mitigation

Central Marin Fire Department actively engages in wildfire hazard mitigation, vegetation management, code enforcement, and risk reduction in Larkspur and Corte Madera, CA.

For questions related to Wildfire Hazard Mitigation and Vegetation Management, please contact Hazard Mitigation Specialist Todd Lando at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, authorized by voters in March 2020, is actively underway. Funding and potential projects are underway in Larkspur and Corte Madera For questions about MWPA and its impacts in Larkspur and Corte Madera, please contact WIldfire Hazard Mitigation Specialist Todd Lando at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Vegetation Management

All property owners in the Wildland Urban Interface of the City of Larkspur and Town of Corte amdera are required to comply with locally adopted California Fire Code requirements for vegetation managment and Defensible Space. Central Marin Fire Department does not develop specific vegetation management plans for properties. To comply with the law, we recommend a general prescription for wildfire vegetation fuels management within 150' of structures that typically includes:

Removal of non-native, invasive shrubs including Scotch, French, and Spanish broom.
Removal of non-native, fire hazardous trees less than 6" DBH (diameter) including acacias, eucalyptus, italian cypress, and most non indigenous conifers.
Removal of ALL dead vegetation, including shrubs and trees, downed limbs less than 8" diameter on the entirety of property.
Selective limbing of trees to increase ground/canopy separation to 6'-10' minimum (or 1/3 the height of the tree), remove deadwood, and improve the health and structure of trees.
Removal of tree limbs or shrubs overhanging roadways (within 15' vertically of road surfaces) that restrict fire apparatus access or resident egress.
Selective removal of non-native or overgrown shrubs and vegetation which is likely to increase hazardous vegetation fuels by impeding access for maintenance (examples may include himalayan blackberry, or in some cases poison oak, on a case-by-case, location specific basis).
Cutting, mowing, or grazing of dry annual grasses within 100' of structures or 10'-30' of roadways.

Note that this prescription does NOT call for the removal of ANY healthy, living native trees or shrubs. The removal of healthy, mature trees (even non-natives) is not required if maintenance can mitigate fire hazards. Our goal is to maintain a healthy, native habitat that mimics natural conditions that might have existed (likely did exist) before development and fire suppression resulted in overgrown vegetation and unnatural fuel conditions. Central Marin Fire Department does not have a specific stance on vegetation more than 200' from structures, and evaluates potential hazards based on strategic fire suppression and prevention objectives on a case-by-case basis.

Defensible Space & Vegetation Management Fire Codes

CORTE MADERA

Section 4907.2 of Chapter 49 is hereby added and shall read as follows:

Section 4907.2 Fire Hazard Reduction. Any person who owns, leases, controls or maintains any building or structure, vacant lands, open space, and/or lands within specific Wildland-Urban Interface areas of the jurisdiction of the Town of Corte Madera shall comply with the following:

1.Cut and remove all fire prone vegetation within 30 feet of structures, or up to 150 feet when topographic or combustible vegetative types necessitate removal as determined by the Fire Code Official.

2.Remove accumulated dead vegetation on the property.

3.Cut and remove tree limbs that overhang wood decks and roofs.

4.Remove that portion of any tree which extends within 10 feet of any chimney or stovepipe, roof surfaces and roof gutters

5.Clean any leaves and needles from roof and gutters.

6.Cut and remove growth less than 3-inches in diameter, from the ground up to a maximum height of 10 feet, provided that no crown shall be raised to a point so as to remove branches from more than the lower one-third of the tree's total height.

7.Vegetation clearance requirements for new construction and substantial remodels in Wildland-Urban Interface Areas shall be in accordance with the 2018 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, as amended by the Town of Corte Madera.

EXCEPTION 1: When approved by the Fire Code Official, single specimens of trees, ornamental shrubbery or similar plants, or plants used as ground covers, provided that they do not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from the native growth to any structure.

EXCEPTION 2: When approved by the Fire Code Official, grass and other vegetation located more than 30 feet from buildings or structures and less than 18 inches in height above the ground need not be removed where necessary to stabilize soil, and prevent erosion.

Section 4908 of Chapter 49 is hereby added and shall read as follows:

Section 4908 Fire Hazard Reduction from Roadways. The Fire Code Official is authorized to cause areas within 10 feet on each side of portions of highways, fire apparatus access roads (improved or unimproved), and driveways (improved or unimproved), which are improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular traffic to be cleared of flammable vegetation and other combustible growth. Corrective action, if necessary, shall be the same as the actions required in section 4907.2. The Fire Code Official is authorized to enter upon private property to carry out this work, subject to the same requirements of Section 104.3 and 104.3.1 or as otherwise permitted by law[JP1].

LARKSPUR

Section 4907.2 Fire Hazard Reduction. Any person who owns, leases, controls or maintains any building or structure, vacant lands, open space, and/or lands within specific Wildland Urban Interface areas of the jurisdiction of the City of Larkspur shall comply with the following:

1. Cut and remove all fire prone vegetation within 30 feet of structures, up to 150 feet when topographic or combustible vegetative types necessitate removal as determined by the Fire Code Official.

2. Remove accumulated dead vegetation on the property.

3. Cut and remove tree limbs that overhang wood decks and roofs.

4. Remove that portion of any tree which extends within 10 feet of any chimney or stovepipe, roof surfaces and roof gutters

5. Clean any leaves and needles from roof and gutters.

6. Cut and remove growth less than 3-inches in diameter, from the ground up to a maximum height of 10 feet; provided, that no crown shall be raised to a point so as to remove branches from more than the lower one-third of the tree’s total height.

7. Vegetation clearance requirements for new construction and substantial remodels in Wildland-Urban Interface Areas shall be in accordance with the 2018 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, as amended by the City of Larkspur.

EXCEPTION 1: When approved by the Fire Code Official, single specimens of trees, ornamental shrubbery or similar plants, or plants used as ground covers; provided, that they do not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from the native growth to any structure.

EXCEPTION 2: When approved by the Fire Code Official, grass and other vegetation located more than 30 feet from buildings or structures less than 18 inches in height above the ground need not be removed where necessary to stabilize soil, and prevent erosion.

CFC Right of Entry

[A] 104.3 Right of Entry

Where it is necessary to make an inspection to enforce the provisions of this code, or where the fire code official has reasonable cause to believe that there exists in a building or on any premises any conditions or violations of this code that make the building or premises unsafe, dangerous or hazardous, the fire code official shall have the authority to enter the building or premises at all reasonable times to inspect or to perform the duties imposed on the fire code official by this code. If such building or premises is occupied, the fire code official shall present credentials to the occupant and request entry. If such building or premises is unoccupied, the fire code official shall first make a reasonable effort to locate the owner, the owner's authorized agent or other person having charge or control of the building or premises and request entry. If entry is refused, the fire code official has recourse to every remedy provided by law to secure entry.

[A] 107.1 Inspection Authority

The fire code official is authorized to enter and examine any building, structure, marine vessel, vehicle or premises in accordance with Section 104.3 for the purpose of enforcing this code.

[A] 107.2 Inspections

The fire code official is authorized to conduct such inspections as are deemed necessary to determine the extent of compliance with the provisions of this code and to approve reports of inspection by approved agencies or individuals. Reports of such inspections shall be prepared and submitted in writing for review and approval. Inspection reports shall be certified by a responsible officer of such approved agency or by the responsible individual. The fire code official is authorized to engage such expert opinion as deemed necessary to report on unusual, detailed or complex technical issues subject to the approval of the governing body.