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AB 38 Defensible Space

Assembly Bill (38) only applies to the High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ).

Within one year of escrow, the seller is required to provide the buyer with a report that shows defensible space requirements are current (California Civil Code Section 1102.19).

How do I know which FHSZ my property is in?

Use CAL FIRE's interactive map to look up your address and see which fire zone it's in. If a property falls into more than one zone, it will be treated as being in the highest-risk zone.

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Schedule an AB 38 Inspection
Visit CALFIRE AB 38 Defensible Space for state requirements and information.
The City of Burbank can have more restrictive requirements. Visit Fire Hazard Reduction Program for Burbank's guidelines.
The APN is assigned by the Los Angeles County Assessor's Office. Refer to your property tax statement or search your address on the Assessor's website.
After an inspection, a compliance inspection report is provided as proof that the property was inspected and passed the inspection within 6 months before escrow.
Once the inspection is requested, an inspector will contact the requrestor within 2-3 business days to schedule.
Inspections are normally conducted during regular business hours and can take 7-10 days to complete.
Yes. View the Citywide Fee Schedule, Article V - Public Safety for all inspection fees.
A deficiency report will be provided with the correction that need to be made.
If the seller is not able to make the corrections, the seller and buyer must have a written agreeement where the buyer agrees to make the corrections and gain compliance.
The inspection report for the Fire Hazard Reduction Program can be used as the AB 38 Defensible Space requirement and compliance report if the report is dated within 6 months of the sales contract.
A new AB 38 Defensible Space Inspection will not be conducted unless specifically requested by the seller.