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Sacramento & Foothills 2026 AB 38 Escrow & Defensible Space Compliance Checklist
Every clearance item Metro Fire, Roseville Fire, and El Dorado Hills FPD inspectors check — plus Zone 0 ember-resistant rules and escrow timelines. Print this page or save it as a PDF from your browser.
Zone 0 — Ember-Resistant Zone (0–5 ft)
- Remove all combustible mulch, bark, and wood chips touching the structure
- No wood or plastic attachments (gates, fencing, lattice) connected to the home
- Clear leaves, needles, and debris from roof, gutters, and under decks
- Replace combustible planters, doormats, and stored items against walls
- Hardscape or non-combustible ground cover within 5 ft of foundation
- Firewood and lumber stored at least 30 ft from structures (or in Zone 1 minimum)
Zone 1 — Lean, Clean & Green (5–30 ft)
- Dead or dying vegetation, leaves, and pine needles removed
- Tree limbs trimmed 10 ft from chimneys and stovepipe outlets
- Minimum 10 ft horizontal spacing between tree canopies (steeper slopes need more)
- Remove all flammable plants within 5 ft of outbuildings and propane tanks
- Grass and weeds mowed to 4 inches or less
- Limb up trees 6 ft from ground (or 1/3 of tree height on smaller trees)
- Move boats, RVs, and trailers away from vegetation or enclose them
Zone 2 — Reduced Fuel (30–100 ft)
- Annual grasses mowed to 4 inches across the full zone
- Horizontal spacing between shrubs: 2x shrub height on flat, more on slopes
- Vertical clearance: 3x shrub height to lowest tree branches above
- Ladder fuels (low branches, tall brush under trees) removed
- Accumulated downed branches and leaf litter kept under 3 inches deep
- Outbuildings and LPG tanks have 10 ft of bare mineral soil clearance
AB 38 Escrow & Inspection (PRC 4291 / AB 38)
- Order defensible space inspection at listing — not after offer acceptance
- Documentation of compliance required for homes in high/very-high fire hazard zones
- Failure to provide documentation allows buyer to request compliance after close
- Roseville requires annual weed abatement by June 1 (Ordinance 14.24)
- El Dorado Hills: Vacant Lot Abatement Program deadline May 15 (FPD Ordinance 2023-01)
- El Dorado County Defensible Space Ordinance 5101 applies to county parcels
- Sacramento Metro Fire enforces Sacramento County Fire Code Chapter 49
- Placer County Hazardous Vegetation Abatement Ordinance 5300 applies to unincorporated areas
- Folsom falls under CAL FIRE PRC 4291 direct enforcement
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