California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 1.5 - Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Chapter 7 - Fire Protection
Subchapter 2 - State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations
Article 1 - Administration
Section 1270.01 - Definitions

(a) Agriculture: Land used for agricultural purposes as defined in a Local Jurisdiction's zoning ordinances.

(b) Board: California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.

(c) Building: Any Structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or Occupancy, except those classified as Utility and Miscellaneous Group U.

(d) CAL FIRE: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

(e) Dead-end Road: A Road that has only one point of vehicular ingress/egress, including cul-de-sacs and Roads that loop back on themselves

(f) Defensible Space: The area within the perimeter of a parcel, Development, neighborhood or community where basic wildland fire protection practices and measures are implemented, providing the key point of defense from an approaching Wildfire or defense against encroaching Wildfires or escaping Structure fires. The perimeter as used in this regulation is the area encompassing the parcel or parcels proposed for construction and/or Development, excluding the physical Structure itself. The area is characterized by the establishment and maintenance of emergency vehicle access, emergency water reserves, Road names and Building identification, and fuel modification measures.

(g) Development: As defined in section 66418.1 of the California Government Code.

(h) Director: Director of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or their designee.

(i) Driveway: A vehicular pathway that serves no more than four (4) Residential Units and any number of non-commercial or non-industrial Utility or Miscellaneous Group U Buildings on each parcel. A Driveway shall not serve commercial or industrial uses at any size or scale.

(j) Exception: An alternative to the specified standard requested by the applicant that may be necessary due to health, safety, environmental conditions, physical site limitations or other limiting conditions, such as recorded historical sites, that provides mitigation of the problem.

(k) Fire Apparatus: A vehicle designed to be used under emergency conditions to transport personnel and equipment or to support emergency response, including but not limited to the suppression of fires.

(l) Fire Authority: A fire department, agency, division, district, or other governmental body responsible for regulating and/or enforcing minimum fire safety standards in the Local Jurisdiction.

(m) Fire Hydrant: A valved connection on a water supply or storage system for the purpose of providing water for fire protection and suppression operations.

(n) Fuel Break: A strategically located area where the volume and arrangement of vegetation has been managed to limit fire intensity, fire severity, rate of spread, crown fire potential, and/or ember production.

(o) Greenbelts: open space, parks, wildlands, other areas, or a combination thereof, as designated by Local Jurisdictions, which are in, surround, or are adjacent to a city or urbanized area, that may function as Fuel Breaks and where Building construction is restricted or prohibited.

(p) Greenways: Linear open spaces or corridors that link parks and neighborhoods within a community through natural or manmade trails and paths.

(q) Hammerhead/T: A "T" shaped, three-point Turnaround space for Fire Apparatus on a Road or Driveway, being no narrower than the Road or Driveway that serves it.

(r) Hazardous Land Use: A land use that presents a significantly elevated potential for the ignition, prolonged duration, or increased intensity of a Wildfire due to the presence of flammable materials, liquids, or gasses, or other features that initiate or sustain combustion. Such uses are determined by the Local Jurisdiction and may include, but are not limited to, power-generation and distribution facilities; wood processing or storage sites; flammable gas or liquids processing or storage sites; or shooting ranges.

(s) Local Jurisdiction: Any county, city/county agency or department, or any locally authorized district that approves or has the authority to regulate Development.

(t) Municipal-Type Water System: A system having water pipes servicing Fire Hydrants and designed to furnish, over and above domestic consumption, a minimum of 250 gpm (950 L/min) at 20 psi (138 kPa) residual pressure for a two (2) hour duration.

(u) Occupancy: The purpose for which a Building, or part thereof, is used or intended to be used.

(v) One-way Road: A Road that provides a minimum of one Traffic Lane width designed for traffic flow in one direction only.

(w) Residential Unit: Any Building or portion thereof which contains living facilities including provisions for sleeping, eating, cooking and/or sanitation, for one or more persons. Manufactured homes, mobile homes, and factory-built housing are considered Residential Units.

(x) Ridgeline: The line of intersection of two opposing slope aspects running parallel to the long axis of the highest elevation of land; or an area of higher ground separating two adjacent streams or watersheds.

(y) Road: A public or private vehicular pathway to more than four (4) Residential Units, or to any industrial or commercial Occupancy.

(z) Road or Driveway Structures: Bridges, culverts, and other appurtenant Structures which supplement the Traffic Lane or Shoulders.

(aa) Same Practical Effect: As used in this subchapter, means an Exception or alternative with the capability of applying accepted wildland fire suppression strategies and tactics, and provisions for fire fighter safety, including:

(bb) Shoulder: A vehicular pathway adjacent to the Traffic Lane.

(cc) State Responsibility Area (SRA): As defined in Public Resources Code sections 4126- 4127; and the California Code of Regulations, title 14, division 1.5, chapter 7, article 1, sections 1220-1220.5.

(dd) Strategic Ridgeline: a Ridgeline identified pursuant to § 1276.02(a) that may support fire suppression activities or where the preservation of the Ridgeline as an Undeveloped Ridgeline would reduce fire risk and improve fire protection.

(ee) Structure: That which is built or constructed or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner.

(ff) Traffic Lane: The portion of a Road or Driveway that provides a single line of vehicle travel.

(gg) Turnaround: An area which allows for a safe opposite change of direction for Fire Apparatus at the end of a Road or Driveway.

(hh) Turnout: A widening in a Road or Driveway to allow vehicles to pass.

(ii) Undeveloped Ridgeline: A Ridgeline with no Buildings.

(jj) Utility and Miscellaneous Group U: A Structure of an accessory character or a miscellaneous Structure not classified in any specific Occupancy permitted, constructed, equipped, and maintained to conform to the requirements of Title 24, California Building Standards Code.

(kk) Vertical Clearance: The minimum specified height of a bridge, overhead projection, or vegetation clearance above the Road or Driveway.

(ll) Vertical Curve: A curve at a high or low point of a Road that provides a gradual transition between two Road grades or slopes.

(mm) Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ): As defined in Government Code section 51177(i).

(nn) Wildfire: Has the same meaning as "forest fire" in Public Resources Code Section 4103.