Weed Abatement, Control and Removal

In 2019, El Dorado County's Board of Supervisors established Ordinance 5101 providing a regulatory overview of Vegetation Management and Defensible Space for properties in El Dorado County.

The county modified and expanded some of these requirements in July of 2024 with Ordinance No. 5186.

The county considers the "uncontrolled growth and accumulation of weeds, grasses, hazardous vegetation, and combustible materials" to be not only a nuisance, but "dangerous and injurious" to the health and safety of residents, as well as neighboring properties.

As a result, the county provides strict guidelines for weed abatement and removal.

Failure to comply with these requirements can lead to fines and other enforcement actions.

El Dorado County Ordinance 9.02.210 outlines the processes and procedures that can be taken by the County to ensure compliance with weed abatement requirements.

This may include administrative fines, enforcement requirements, recovery costs should the county take steps to organize the abatement and removal themselves, and even property liens for unpaid fines..

Hargo's Land Management is a member of the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council. We are certified defensible space evaluators, ensuring that any weed or vegetation management performed on your property meets local ordinances and state regulatory requirements.

We work with residential and commercial customers, as well as El Dorado County on projects such as the South County Fuels Reduction Project, which aims to reduce hazardous fuels on roadsides through the area.

Hargo's doesn't use harsh chemicals.

We use eco-friendly, manual weed removal methods like field mowing, mastication and mulching, and brush clearing.

Our chemical-free approach to weed abatement is a sustainable choice for a healthier environment because it protects soil, groundwater, pets, and local wildlife while effectively controlling weeds.

Any rapid growing weeds, grasses or vegetation that can pose a fire safety risk by acting as fuel should be removed.

In El Dorado County this may include vegetation like:

• Poison Ivy
• Poison Oak
• Dry Weeds
• Dry Grass
• Stubble Brush
• Vegetation that can act as fuel for fires

You may need to schedule several weed abatement appointments per year.

• Spring: You'll experience the most rapid weed and hazardous vegetation growth during spring time. Removing overgrown weeds before summer dryness sets in is critical to fire safety.
• Summer: You'll want to maintain low vegetation during summer months. Depending on the size of your property and rate of vegetation growth you may need to schedule weed abatement from mid to late summer
• Fall: An ideal time to clear dead brush to help minimize regrowth.

El Dorado County is a high vegetation growth, high wildfire risk region. Understanding how to mitigate potential wildfire risks around your home and scheduling quarterly weed abatement is recommended.