Ventura County is pushing back against a state law aimed at increasing wildfire prevention efforts around homes.
AB 3074 requires combustible materials like mulch, plants, and wood fencing to be separated by at least five feet from homes in designated high-risk fire areas. Local fire agencies would enforce it.
The legislation became law in 2021, but hasn’t been enforced yet. The State Fire Marshal’s Office needs to act to implement it, so it could potentially start later this year for new construction, and next year for existing homes.
Ventura County Supervisors passed a resolution this week calling for the state to reconsider its plan. They say it could result in significant costs for homeowners and local government agencies. Ventura County Fire officials call the state plan a good one, but say it would take millions of dollars and years to implement locally.
