IMPORTANT UPDATE – PLEASE READ
Complying with the new Defensible Space Disclosure & Compliance State Mandate (AB 38)
- Defensible Space Law: Effective 7/1/2021 – Existing state and local laws require certain property owners to maintain defensible space on their property. Sellers of such properties will need to provide documentation that their property is in compliance with defensible space laws, or buyers will be required to agree to obtain such documentation of compliance in the future. This law applies to: sales of residential 1-4 unit properties; condominiums or other common interest development units; or manufactured homes; where the property is located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone; when TDS is required.
- Home Hardening Disclosure Law: effective January 1, 2021 – “Home hardening” refers to building resistant materials and home features that protect a home from catching fire. Beginning January 1, 2021, sellers will be required to complete a new home hardening disclosure (Fire Hardening and Defensible Space Advisory, FHDS) for properties that are: within high or very high fire hazard zones; built before 2010; residential one to four properties; condominiums or other common interest development units; or manufactured homes
CAL FIRE
- Go to the dedicated website for this new requirement, which is: www.fire.ca.gov/dspace
- On the left-hand side of that page you will see “Request a Defensible Space Inspection” “…On and after July 1, 2021 when you sell property that is located in ahigh or very high fire hazard severity zone, you’ll need documentation of a compliant Defensible Space Inspection. Click here to start” and enter all the relevant info, and Cal Fire will both e-mail and call you with inspection updates.
- They do not charge for their Defensible Space inspections.
- They are mandated to concentrate their efforts in State “SRA” areas – State Responsibility Areas. Cal Fire maps a tract of land as “Moderate”, “High”, or “Very High” Wildfire Hazard Severity Zoned. They have expressed a willingness to assist local fire districts with inspections if they have available personnel. However, their jurisdiction is most closely tied to areas that do not have a local Defensible Space Ordinance in-place that pre-dates the July, 1, 2021 trigger date for implementation of AB 38, passed in 2019.
- If you would like to view the designation of a given county’s Fire Hazard Severity Zoning mapping, it can be found at:
- Or, to drill down more easily as to whether a property is in a Very High Wildfire Hazard Severity Zone, that’s ALSO in a state-recognized SRA area, go to:
South Lake Tahoe Fire
https://www.cityofslt.us/384/Fire
Request a Defensible Space Inspection
Please call the City Fire Inspector at (530)542-7428 to get an inspection. The inspector can do a defensible space inspection for you and make recommendations or note violations. If you have a hazardous tree that needs to be removed, please call the TRPA. Their forester will be able to issue a tree cutting permit if appropriate. The TRPA’s number is 775-588-4547.
Fire Station One (Battalion Headquarters)
1252 Ski Run Boulevard.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone: (530) 542-6161
Fire Station Two
2951 Lake Tahoe Boulevard
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone: (530) 542-6162
Fire Station Three – Administration Headquarters
2101 Lake Tahoe Boulevard
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone: (530) 542-6160
Lake Valley Fire Protection District (Meyers)
El Dorado County adopted an ordinance for vegetation management:
https://www.edcgov.us/Government/CAO/VegetationManagement
Station 7 – Administrative Headquarters
2211 Keetak Street (map)
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Station 7: (530) 577-3737
Fax: (530) 577-3739
Station 6
1286 Golden Bear Trail (map)
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Station 6: (530) 544-7940
Fax: (530) 544-7940
Volunteer Station 5
1009 Boulder Mountain Court (map)
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Station 5: (530) 577-5749
