Fire Safety and Clean Up are the usual reasons people clear brush.
Before & After picks of Brush Clearing below. I’ve done these clean ups for over 25 years, mostly in Scotts Valley, The San Lorenzo Valley but also all of Santa Cruz county.
Fire departments may contact home-owners and compel clearing.
Cal Fire recommendations for brush clearing
Cal Fire – 100′ Defensible Space PDF
Cal Fire Home-owner Check list PDF
The first two photos show a typical clean up in Felton. The second, a large tree blew over in a storm and knocked down two other trees. These kinds of problems happen every year in Scotts Valley and all up the San Lorenzo river in Felton, Ben Lomond and Boulder Creek. I do a lot of clearing in Saratoga as well.