FAQ

Fire extinguishers can be recycled at the Hazardous Waste drop-off sites:

City of Santa Cruz Hazardous Waste
605 Dimeo Lane
Open Saturdays only from 7:30 - 3:30

Buena Vista Landfill
1231 Buena Vista Drive
Watsonville
Call for hours of operation 831-454-2606

Ben Lomond Transfer Station
9835 Newell Creek Road
Ben Lomond
Call for hours of operation 831-454-2606

The use of Sky Lanterns is prohibited by several laws and codes including the Health and Safety Code, T-19 Public Safety Code, the Public Resources Code, and the International Fire Code.

Santa Cruz Municipal Code 19.05.140 SECTION 308.1.6.3 IS ADDED – SKY LANTERNS.
Section 308.1.6.3 of Chapter 3 of the Fire Code of the city of Santa Cruz is amended to read as follows: 308.1.6.3 – Sky lanterns. A person shall not release or cause to be released a sky lantern.

Gas grills are allowed on City beaches - but if the lifeguards or rangers deems the grill to be unsafe or too large; the BBQ will need to be removed.

Charcoal barbecues will no longer be allowed on our City beaches. This is in large part due to safety and environmental concerns related to people burying coals in the sand after a barbecue on the beach.

Fires are not allowed on any City Beaches, which include Cowells Beach, Main Beach & beaches along Westcliff Drive. Fires are allowed in fire rings only at the following state beaches.

State Beaches

• New Brighton: 831-464-6330
• Twin Lakes: 831-427-4868
• Seabright: 831-427-4868

The City of Santa Cruz does allow warming fires in backyards, as long as these guidelines(PDF, 78KB) are followed. If the Fire Department deems it unsafe, they will ask you to extinguish it. If you have a complaint about smoke from a neighbor's warming fire, you will need to contact Monterey Bay Air Resources District to file the complaint.

Fires are not allowed on City Beaches.

Email our Fire Admin Office at dl_fire@santacruzca.gov to file a fire safety complaint. Please include photos if possible.

Submit a minimum of two sets of plans to the admin office located at 230 Walnut Ave. We do not require an application. Our plan review turn- around is up to 12 working days. Visit our Permits and Inspections page or call 831-420-5280 if you have any further questions.

The Santa Cruz Fire Department, no longer inspects child safety seats. Please see our Car Seat Safety Page for other organizations that inspect child safety seats.

We do not service fire extinguishers. Please find a professional fire extinguisher service company in the Yellow Pages under “Fire Extinguisher.”

We offer station tours to school groups (age 5+) on Wednesday mornings, by appointment only. Tours are usually at Station 1, located at 711 Center Street. Tour needs to be requested the month prior to allow for planning on our training calendar. We ask that you give us a few options to give you a better chance of getting a tour.

Call the Santa Cruz Water Department at 831-420-5200.

Visit www.knoxbox.com to purchase a Knox Box. Choose your item and the search Santa Cruz. Make sure to choose Santa Cruz Fire Dept at 230 Walnut Ave. If you choose another department, our key will not work. Any questions call our Fire Admin office at 831-420-5280

No! We do not accept fireworks for disposal. Please contact the CAL FIRE office located in Felton, CA at (831) 335-5355 to learn about your options for appropriately disposing of fireworks.

Requesting an Incident Report

Please complete incident request(PDF, 505KB) completely and follow instructions.

Fires under investigation by SCFD & SCPD require a subpoena to obtain a copy.

Emergency medical reports or patient care reports can only be requested by the patient (requires ID), patient’s representative (requires patients ID and letter from patient authorizing release), patient’s attorney (requires a HIPPA compliant release authorization signed by patient) or a subpoena.

Allow 1-2 weeks for reports to be processed. Most reports can be emailed free of charge. There will be a nominal fee for hard copies. There is a $15 fee to process subpoenaed records.

Request for Public Information

Email dl_fire@cityofsantacruz.com with your request.

Single family residences - All numbers shall be a minimum 4-inch size in a contrasting color that are clearly visible from the street.

Multifamily residences and commercial properties - All numbers shall be a minimum 6-inch size in a contrasting color that are clearly visible from the street and separate unit identifications.

Address numbers are assigned by the City Planning Department, not the Fire Department.

The Fire Protection Class or the ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating for the City of Santa Cruz is ISO Fire Score 2

Group R-3 dwellings:

• When additions increase the total existing square footage by more than 50%.
• Where alterations and/or repairs result in the removal, alteration, modification, replacement and/or repair of fifty percent or more of the external walls of a building.
• Where alterations result in the removal, modification, replacement and/or repair of fifty percent or more of the existing internal structural and/or non-structural framework.
• This work done independently or in combination within a five-year period, the entire building shall be made to conform to the current provisions of this chapter.
• All ADUs constructed on lots with an existing sprinklered primary residence
• ADU’s attached to main residence and is 50% or greater of the existing sq-ft. of the primary residence