Los Angeles Municipal Code § 57.4911 Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone-Requirements Specific to Los Angeles

The Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone shall be established as set forth in Sections 57.4911.1.1 through 57.4911.1.3.

The Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones are hereby established and declared to be those districts and areas included within the boundary described and set forth in the most current map (amended by Ord. 181,719 , Eff. 6/26/11) which is incorporated herein and made a part hereof for all purposes and shall be available at the Fire Marshal’s Office.

FIGURE 57.4911.1.1

VERY HIGH FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONE MAP

When in the course of improvement of undeveloped areas of the City, new streets, lots and building sites are created where none existed before, and such new streets, lots and building sites overlap the existing boundary line of the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the boundary line of such zone shall be deemed to be relocated to coincide with the property boundary or along the center line of such newly created streets that lie closest to the original boundary line location.

The Fire Code Official shall, by regulation, establish a legal description of the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Such regulation shall be amended from time to time to reflect changes necessitated by Section 57.4911.1.2, or for other necessary purposes. Every such regulation of the Fire Code Official shall be established according to the requirements of Section 57.104.1.1.

There shall be no open burning or smoking in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. The Chief shall cause such districts to be posted at all times by suitable signs giving notice thereof.

Maintain and Close Fire Roads, Fire Trails and Firebreaks. The Chief shall have authority to construct fire roads and firebreaks in or upon any undeveloped lands in any mountain or hill area, whether or not such lands are public or private, with the consent of the owner thereof, and to maintain the same on a permanent basis when the Chief determines that such fire roads and firebreak are necessary for the protection of life and property against fire or panic.

The Chief may install gates or cables, and securely lock the same, to prevent the use by unauthorized persons of any fire road, truck trail or other road which is not a public highway and over which the Fire Department has the right to pass, whether by easement, license, City ownership or otherwise, for purposes relating to fire protection or control.

All lands within the limits of the City of Los Angeles and lying within the boundaries of any State or Federal Forest lands may be closed to the public by the Chief or by any duly authorized State or Federal officer, provided such closure is not in conflict with any State or Federal law. No person shall enter upon any lands so closed except by valid Special Permit from the Chief pursuant to Section 57.105.8. Notice of such closure shall be deemed sufficient when provided pursuant to Section 57.4911.8.1 of this article.

EXCEPTION: Closure of private lands shall not prohibit the use or entry upon such lands by the owner, the owner’s guests or invitees, provided such guests or invitees have written permission of the owner of such private lands to enter upon the same.

There shall be no open flame or self-contained device capable of producing flame permitted or located upon any road, street or fire road within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.

It shall be unlawful for any person to light, ignite or smoke any cigar, cigarette, tobacco in a pipe or other form of smoldering substance within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.

Any person owning, leasing, controlling, operating or maintaining any electrical transmission line over any mountainous forest, brush, or hazardous vegetation covered land shall at all times cut, trim, or otherwise remove all forked, dead, decadent, rotten, diseased, or weakened branches of trees, or trees that may contact or fall upon any transmission line. Live trees shall remain pruned and trimmed to prevent exposure to electrical transmission or branch lines.

Any person who enters or is present in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in violation of Section 57.4911, except upon public roadways, inhabited areas, or established trails and campsites open to the public, is committing a trespass. Notice of said offense shall be deemed sufficient where provided pursuant to Section 57.4911.8.1 of this article.

EXCEPTIONS:

1. This subsection shall not prohibit residents or owners of private property or their invitees or guests from going to or from such private property, provided that such invitees or guests have the permission

of the owner or resident to be in or upon such private property.

2. This subsection shall not restrict any public officer in the pursuit of the public officer’s duty.

For purposes of Sections 57.4911 through 57.4911.9.1, notice may be given as follows:

1. Posted Property. By posted signs identifying the property closed to the public within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, bearing the words “PROPERTY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC –

TRESPASSING FORBIDDEN BY LAW” in letters not less than 3 inches in height, at the entrance thereto and along all exterior boundaries at equal intervals not less than three to the mile, and at all roads and trails entering the property; or

2. Personal Notice. By personal notice given directly to a person found in an area of the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone closed to the public, advising the person that the area is closed to the public and

that if the person refuses or fails immediately to leave the closed area, or if the person leaves and returns, the person’s presence in the non-public area constitutes trespassing.

No person shall travel or trespass upon any firebreak or fire road.

No person shall operate, drive or park any motorcycle, motor scooter or other vehicle within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, except upon clearly established public or private roads, without first having secured a Special Permit from the Chief pursuant to Section 57.105.8.

No unauthorized person shall park any vehicle so as to obstruct the entrance to any fire road, fire trail or firebreak.

No person, except one authorized and acting within the scope of their official duties, shall unlock, open, damage, or tamper with or cause to be unlocked, opened, damaged, or tampered with any lock, gate, door, barrier, seal, water tank enclosure, water valve, hydrant, or other fire protection equipment or facility installed by or under control of the Department or the Federal Division of Forestry.

No person, except one authorized and acting within the scope of their official duties, shall remove, deface, mar, mutilate, or change the position of any sign, installed by the Chief pursuant to this article, designating “CLOSED AREA,” “NO SMOKING,” “NO OPEN FIRES,” “RESTRICTED ENTRY,” or other sign or device installed to give warning and to regulate persons’ actions within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.