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Brush Management and Weed Abatement Inspections
"Brush" is the predominant native plant community in the canyons of Southern California. When adjacent to homes, brush management is required to protect the the homes from wild fire. Inspections of brush-covered areas adjacent to buildings are performed on a complaint basis only. Review the following information on canyon fire safety, then, if merited, contact the Fire Hazard Advisor to make a brush management complaint at (619) 533-4444. Canyon Fire Safety![]() The City of San Diego Fire Safety and Brush Management Guide (PDF: 373K) summarizes guidelines for brush management in canyon areas. This guide was prepared after the October 2003 Cedar Fire. The City of San Diego Use of Goats for Brush Management Guide (PDF: 111K) summarizes guidelines for the use of goats to maintain canyon brush. Further information on the City of San Diego Brush Management Policy and Landscape Standards (PDF: 13.9Mb) was issued in June 2008. Information on fire resistant plants is available in the "Landscape Technical Manual." Contact City Publications at (619) 446-5200. Enforcement of brush management is based upon Municipal Code Section 142.0412 - Brush Management. ![]() The following materials will aid property owners with proper erosion control on sites damaged by fire.
Weeds are annual grasses that grow in the winter and turn brown in the summer with no watering. The City operates an annual pro-active weed abatement program for vacant lots. A citizen wishing to make a complaint about a weed abatement problem on property that is not vacant should contact the Fire Hazard Advisor at (619) 533-4444. First see Complaint Inspections for information on what would constitute a weed abatement problem. Fire Prevention Services, Inc. (FPSI), a city-hired private contractor, runs the pro-active 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). ![]() The following definitions are for terms found in the guides cited above. Brush/Chaparral Combustible Waste Matter Discing Environmentally Sensitive Area Erosion Fire Resistant Plants Fuel Breaks Grubbing Pruning Thinning Weeds |
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