Certified arborist · Consulting only · Bay Area
Wildfire defensible space, done by an arborist who knows your city's tree rules
Written defensible space plans, insurance documentation, and fire-mitigation tree permits for homeowners and HOAs in Marin, the East Bay hills, the Peninsula, and Santa Cruz. One site visit, a plan you can act on, and nothing to buy from us afterward.
Why people call
Three situations, one visit
"My insurer sent a letter."
Non-renewal, a mitigation demand, or a wildfire-risk score you want to appeal. You need dated photos, an arborist letter, and a checklist that matches what the carrier actually inspects.
Insurance & non-renewal guide →"I failed (or fear) an inspection."
Fire-district defensible space notices come with deadlines. We turn the notice into a prioritized, zone-by-zone scope so you fix what matters first and don't over-clear.
Defensible space guide →"I need to remove trees, and the city says no."
Fire safety doesn't void protected-tree ordinances in most Bay Area cities. We write the arborist report the city requires and file the permit.
Permits by city →Services
Pay for the plan, not the inspection
Fire agencies inspect for free. We produce the document you need afterward.
Wildfire Site Consultation
On-site walk, verbal priorities, email summary
- All three zones plus trees over the roof
- What the inspector or insurer will flag
- Scheduled within 7 days
Defensible Space Plan
Consultation + written zone-by-zone report
- Photos, prioritized scope, species-specific guidance
- Permit flags for protected trees
- Seasonal maintenance schedule
- Delivered in 7–10 business days
Insurance Documentation
Arborist letter + photo record + compliance checklist
- Matched to Safer from Wildfires and the carrier's list
- Post-work re-inspection letter $250
The problem nobody else covers
Defensible space and tree ordinances collide. We work both sides.
State law wants 100 feet of defensible space. Your city wants a permit, an arborist report, and replacement trees before you touch a coast live oak or anything over a certain trunk size. Landscapers don't know the ordinance; permit expediters don't know fire behavior. A consulting arborist who has filed permits in 45 Bay Area cities does both in one visit.
- Which trees can come out under a fire-hazard exemption, and which can't
- Where pruning and limb-up gets you compliant without a removal permit
- What the city's arborist report has to say for the permit to clear
How it works
- Text or call with your address and the situation. Inspection notice, insurer letter, or a tree question. We confirm the fee in writing before anything is scheduled.
- Site visit within 7 days. 60–90 minutes walking all three zones, the roofline, and every tree within 30 feet of a structure. You get verbal priorities on the spot.
- Written plan or report in 7–10 business days. Photos, a prioritized scope, permit flags, and the documentation your insurer or city asked for. 48-hour turnaround is available for single-tree reports.
- You hire whoever you want. We don't sell or refer tree work. Hand the plan to any licensed contractor — or do the Zone 0 work yourself.
Who you're hiring
Michael Schuck, ISA Certified Arborist
13+ years in Bay Area arboriculture — climbing crews, running a tree company, then consulting full time. Founder of Urban Forestry Guide, the permit and arborist-report practice behind this site. Reports are written to each city's checklist, for planning departments, insurers, and both sides of a dispute — the practice takes no referral fees, so nobody questions whose side the report is on.
Where we work
Local pages with the fire district, inspection program, and tree rules for your town
South Bay & Santa Cruz
Saratoga, Los Gatos, Los Altos Hills, Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley.
All locations →Free resources
Use these before you call anyone
Official inspection standards, grant and chipper programs by county, the plant lists fire agencies actually use, and a checklist you can walk your property with this weekend.
Questions we get
Is the site visit free?
No. Fire agencies and Fire Safe Councils already offer free inspections; what they don't give you is a written plan from a certified arborist that you can hand to an insurer, a contractor, or a planning department. The consultation is $375, paid at booking, and the written plan or report is priced on the services page.
Do you do the tree work?
No. California Fire Defense is a consulting practice. We don't sell, bid, or refer tree work, and we take no referral fees, so the report is written for the city or insurer, not for a contractor's invoice. You hire whichever contractor you like with the plan in hand.
Which areas do you cover?
Marin, the East Bay hills (Alameda and Contra Costa), the San Mateo County Peninsula, the Santa Clara County foothills, and Santa Cruz County. See locations.
Can I remove a tree for fire safety without a permit?
In most Bay Area cities, no — protected-tree ordinances still apply, and some cities fine unpermitted removal heavily. A few have fire-hazard exemptions or expedited paths. Our permits guide covers this city by city, and we write the arborist report the city requires.