In short
In areas exposed to forest fires, the obligations légales de débroussaillement (OLD) (legal brush-clearing obligations) apply to land located less than 200 metres from woods and forests: the owner must clear brush over 50 metres around their house, a distance the mayor can increase to 100 metres (code forestier (Forestry Code), art. L134-6). The precise arrangements are set by arrêté préfectoral (prefectoral order). Since 1 January 2025, the seller or landlord of a property in an OLD zone must inform the buyer or tenant from the advertisement onwards, through the état des risques (risk statement) handed over at the first viewing (code de l’environnement (Environment Code), art. L125-5; service-public.gouv.fr). The criminal penalty is a 5th-class contravention (minor offence) (art. R163-3); an administrative fine can reach €50 per square metre not cleared (art. L135-2). According to the ministry, 9 out of 10 houses destroyed by a forest fire have not been cleared, or have been poorly cleared.
Who is affected and over what area?
The obligation covers buildings located within or less than 200 metres from forests, moorland, maquis or garrigue (Mediterranean scrubland) classified as at risk of fire (service-public.gouv.fr). The official search tool, accessible from the service-public page on the risk statement, shows whether an address is in an OLD zone.
| Situation (Forestry Code, art. L134-6) | Depth to be cleared | Responsibility of (art. L134-8) |
|---|---|---|
| Surroundings of buildings, work sites and installations | 50 m, increased up to 100 m by the mayor | Owner of the building |
| Private access roads | Set by the préfet, 10 m maximum on each side | Owner of the building |
| Land in an urban zone of a PLU (local development plan) | The whole plot | Owner of the land |
| Land on which a ZAC (joint development zone), lotissement (housing development) or AFU (urban landowners’ association) is located | The whole site | Owner of the land |
The 50 metres are measured from the building and do not stop at the property boundary: you may have to clear brush on a neighbour’s land (service-public.gouv.fr). You must then inform the neighbour, preferably by registered letter specifying the work. If they refuse access, or do not reply within one month, responsibility for clearing passes to them, and the mayor must be informed.
A tenant may clear brush if their lease provides for it, but this does not release the owner from criminal liability (service-public.gouv.fr).
How and when to clear brush?
Brush clearing means reducing vegetation (grass, branches, leaves) to lessen the intensity of a fire and slow its spread: pruning, cutting, removing the residue (service-public.gouv.fr). The ministère de la Transition écologique (Ministry for Ecological Transition) recommends an annual calendar:
- autumn and winter: heavy cutting and shredding work;
- spring: maintenance, cutting regrowth, removing waste, moving firewood away;
- summer: work not recommended, or even prohibited by prefectoral order, because of the risk of sparks.
The precise implementation conditions are set by each département’s prefectoral order (service-public.gouv.fr). A professional can be engaged under contract, and a tax credit may be available, subject to conditions, if you employ someone to clear brush (service-public.gouv.fr).
Sale and letting: compulsory information since 2025
Loi (Act) no. 2023-580 of 10 July 2023 extended buyer and tenant information to OLD zones; its implementing decree of 29 April 2024 brought it into effect on 1 January 2025 (service-public.gouv.fr).
| Step | Obligation |
|---|---|
| Advertisement, any medium | Statement: “Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the Géorisques website: www.georisques.gouv.fr” (our translation) |
| First viewing | Handover of the risk statement, with the information sheet on brush-clearing obligations |
| Promesse (preliminary sale contract), deed or lease | Risk statement attached, dated less than 6 months before |
| Sale | Sworn statement of compliance with the obligations, attached to the promesse and the deed (service-public.gouv.fr) |
Sources: Environment Code, art. L125-5; service-public.gouv.fr. The Forestry Code (art. L134-16) adds that the transfer of a property subject to OLD is conditional on compliance with the obligation, within the limits of the property, and that the transferor also informs the buyer of any servitudes (easements). On each signing or renewal of a lease, the owner brings this information to the tenant’s attention.
If the risk statement is missing, the buyer or tenant can apply for the contract to be rescinded or for a price reduction (art. L125-5). The document is covered in detail in our guide on the état des risques (ERP) (risk statement); for lettings, see also the guide to the bail de location (residential lease).
Penalties
| Type | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal | 5th-class contravention, i.e. at most €1,500 | Forestry Code, art. R163-3; ministère de la Transition écologique |
| Formal notice from the mayor | Daily penalty of €100 maximum per day, total capped at €5,000 | Forestry Code, art. L134-9 |
| Work carried out by the authority | The municipality carries out the work at the owner’s expense | Forestry Code, art. L134-9 |
| Administrative fine | Up to €50 per m² subject to the obligation, after a formal notice that went unheeded | Forestry Code, art. L135-2 |
| Insurance | Increased excess, €5,000 maximum | Service-public.gouv.fr |
The mayor checks that the obligations are carried out (art. L134-7); if the mayor fails to act, the préfet steps in after formal notice (art. L134-9). On the insurance side, see our guide on assurance habitation (home insurance).
FAQ
Is my land subject to brush clearing?
Yes, if it is less than 200 metres from woods, forests, moorland, maquis or garrigue classified as at risk of fire in an exposed area; the official search tool, the town hall or the préfecture can confirm this (service-public.gouv.fr).
Over what distance must brush be cleared?
50 metres around buildings, up to 100 metres if the mayor so decides, and at most 10 metres on each side of private access roads (Forestry Code, art. L134-6).
My neighbour refuses to let me clear brush on their land: what can I do?
After a refusal, or if there is no reply one month after your letter, responsibility passes to the neighbour; inform the mayor (service-public.gouv.fr).
Since when must the buyer be informed of OLD?
Since 1 January 2025, through the risk statement and from the advertisement onwards (Environment Code, art. L125-5; service-public.gouv.fr).
Does the tenant have to clear brush?
Only if the lease provides for it, and the owner remains criminally liable (service-public.gouv.fr).
Which professional to consult
The agent immobilier (estate agent) puts the Géorisques statement in the advertisement and hands over the risk statement at the first viewing. The notaire (notary) checks that the risk statement and the sworn statement are attached to the promesse and the deed. The géomètre-expert (chartered land surveyor) can mark out the 50-metre perimeter where it extends onto neighbouring plots. The diagnostiqueur (property surveyor) carries out the other surveys in the sale file.
Find a professional
One professional per trade and per area, selected and scored out of 100 from public data, with a verifiable title. The trade, its official register and the professionals selected (pages in French):
The real estate agent selected in the largest cities
| City | Professional | Area | Score /100 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | Laforêt Paris 15 Vaugirard | Paris, 15e arrondissement | 89 | Selected |
| Marseille | ERA Agence de la Bastide | Marseille, 13e arrondissement | 90 | Selected |
| Toulouse | Nestenn By Solvimo | Toulouse | 84 | Selected |
| Nice | Immo Gambetta | Nice | 71 | Selected |
| Lyon | Orpi Duguesclin Transactions | Lyon, 6e arrondissement | 89 | Selected |
| Montpellier | Immo Angels | Montpellier | 80 | Selected |
| Bordeaux | Human Immobilier Bordeaux Chartrons | Bordeaux | 90 | Selected |
| Lille | Orpi Lille République Beaux-Arts | Lille | 92 | Selected |
| Rennes | Nestenn Rennes Centre | Rennes | 80 | Selected |
| Toulon | iBox Immobilier Toulon Jaurès | Toulon | 84 | Selected |
The 10 cities with the most sales (DVF 2025) where a real estate agent is selected; in a city with several areas, the best-scoring profile. "Verified": title read at the register by Payotte; "Selected": title declared, verifiable on the profile.
Related guides
Sources
- Service-public.gouv.fr — Dans quel cas le débroussaillement est-il obligatoire ? (vérifié le 7 janvier 2025) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Service-public.gouv.fr — Obligations légales de débroussaillement : l'information des acquéreurs et des locataires de biens devient obligatoire en 2025 (mis à jour le 8 janvier 2025) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Service-public.gouv.fr — Diagnostic immobilier : état des risques (vérifié le 28 septembre 2026) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Ministère de la Transition écologique — Débroussailler : comment protéger votre habitation des feux de forêt et de végétation ? (mis à jour le 20 avril 2026) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Légifrance — Code forestier, articles L134-1 à L134-18 (lien de service-public.gouv.fr) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Légifrance — Code forestier, article L135-2 (amende administrative) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Légifrance — Code forestier, article R163-3 (lien de service-public.gouv.fr) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Légifrance — Code de l'environnement, article L125-5 (version en vigueur depuis le 1er janvier 2025) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Légifrance — Décret n° 2024-405 du 29 avril 2024 (lien de service-public.gouv.fr) (checked 12 October 2026)
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