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Serving Los Altos, CA and surrounding areas. (650) 680-4240
Overgrown brush, dead trees, old stumps - we remove it all, handle the city permit check, and leave your property clean and ready for whatever comes next.
Land clearing in Los Altos means removing trees, shrubs, brush, and stumps from a property so the land is clean and usable, using chainsaws, chippers, and stump grinders depending on what is there. Most small residential jobs take one day. Larger properties with mature oaks or dense undergrowth run two to four days.
In Los Altos, clearing is most often driven by one of three things: a fire clearance requirement from CAL FIRE or the county, a planned landscape or construction project, or overgrowth that has crept into neighboring property and structures. Whatever brought you to this page, the starting point is the same - getting a crew out to assess what is there and what needs a city permit before any tree comes down. If you are dealing with a single tree rather than a full clearing project, our emergency tree service may be the more direct path.
The city of Los Altos protects certain trees based on species and size. Working with a contractor who knows the local ordinance means permits get handled before any work starts - not after a fine arrives.
A letter or door hanger from CAL FIRE or Santa Clara County Fire telling you to clear brush around your home is a direct signal that land clearing is overdue. These notices are common in foothill-adjacent neighborhoods of Los Altos, especially after dry winters. Ignoring them can result in fines and - more importantly - leaves your home more exposed during fire season.
When shrubs, vines, or volunteer trees have grown to the point where they are touching your fence, house, or creeping onto a neighbor's lot, it is time to clear. This kind of overgrowth causes moisture damage to structures, creates hiding spots for pests, and can generate neighbor disputes. Dry brush against a wood fence is also exactly the kind of fuel that helps fire spread.
Dead trees lose structural integrity quickly, and Los Altos clay soils can destabilize root systems faster than expected after wet winters. If a tree has no leaves in spring, bark peeling in large sections, or visible cracks at the base, and it is leaning toward anything you care about, that is an urgent signal. A falling tree can cause serious damage and liability.
If you want to add a garden, expand a lawn, build an ADU, or install a driveway, but the area is covered in brush, stumps, or old trees, land clearing is the first step. Many Los Altos homeowners are adding accessory dwelling units right now, and clearing is often the first work that needs to happen before any other contractor can start.
We handle the full clearing scope - trees, brush, stumps, and debris removal - as a single project. The crew uses chainsaws and chippers to cut and process vegetation on-site, which dramatically reduces the material that needs to be hauled. Stumps are ground below the soil surface. Before any work starts, we confirm which trees need a city permit and handle that application so nothing comes down without approval.
For properties with specific fire clearance requirements, we clear to CAL FIRE defensible space standards. If your project ultimately requires tree work beyond clearing - such as ongoing maintenance or a large commercial site - our commercial tree service covers larger-scale and multi-visit projects. For emergency situations - a dead tree leaning toward your home or storm damage - our emergency tree service is available around the clock. We will recommend the right scope for your property when we visit.
For overgrown lots where shrubs, vines, and small trees have taken over and the ground underneath is no longer accessible or safe.
For properties where specific trees need to come down while others - including heritage oaks - are preserved and protected throughout the job.
For homeowners who have received a fire clearance notice or who want to proactively reduce fire risk around their home before dry season.
For property owners planning an ADU, new driveway, expanded lawn, or other project that needs a clean cleared surface before the next contractor arrives.
Los Altos sits at the edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains foothills, and parts of the city fall within areas where CAL FIRE defensible space requirements apply to homeowners by state law. Fire inspectors do check compliance, especially after dry winters. Beyond the legal requirement, the risk is real - dry brush and dead vegetation close to a home is how structure fires start in this part of the Bay Area. Clearing before the dry season - roughly before May - is the practical move for any foothill-adjacent property.
The heritage tree ordinance adds another layer. Los Altos protects certain trees based on species and trunk diameter, and permit review can take one to three weeks. This affects scheduling - jobs that look simple on the surface can have a waiting period built in before a single branch comes down. Homeowners near Campbell and Los Gatos face similar ordinance requirements, and contractors who work regularly across the South Bay are familiar with how each city handles permit review.
We respond within 1 business day. You describe the area - roughly how large it is, what is growing there, and what you want the land to look like when the job is done. You do not need to know the names of your trees or the exact square footage.
We walk the property with you, identify what needs to come out, and check any trees against the Los Altos heritage tree ordinance. You get a written estimate that breaks down exactly what is included. We handle the city permit application if one is required - that process typically takes one to three weeks.
The crew works from the outside edges inward, cutting and chipping as they go. Stumps are ground below soil level. Debris is chipped on-site and hauled or left as mulch based on your preference. Clearing day is loud - chainsaws and chippers will run most of the day.
Before the crew leaves, we walk the cleared area with you. Check that stumps are ground down, no large debris remains, and that fences and neighboring plants were not damaged. If you have a follow-up project starting - grading, planting, or construction - we note anything that needs attention before the next contractor arrives.
We respond within 1 business day. After you submit, someone from our office calls to schedule a free on-site visit. We check permit requirements before we quote and give you a firm written price before any work starts.
(650) 680-4240Los Altos has an actively enforced tree ordinance. We check every tree against city requirements and handle the permit application before a single branch comes down. You will not receive a stop-work notice or a fine for a tree that turned out to be protected - because we confirm status first.
We clear to the defensible space standards required by California state law and enforced by local fire inspectors. If you have received a notice or simply want to be compliant before an inspector visits, we know the specific clearance requirements that apply to foothill-adjacent properties in Los Altos and surrounding areas.
Los Altos has many mature valley oaks and coast live oaks, and these trees are sensitive to soil compaction around their root zones. When we clear near protected oaks, we keep heavy equipment away from the root zone and hand-clear brush in sensitive areas. Damage to a protected oak can take years to show and cost far more than the clearing job to remedy.
California requires tree service companies using power equipment to hold a valid Contractors State License Board license. Ours is active and verifiable on the CSLB website. We have worked in Los Altos, Campbell, Los Gatos, and across the South Bay - and we carry liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage on every job.
You can verify any California tree service license at cslb.ca.gov - it takes about two minutes and tells you whether the license is active and whether any complaints have been filed. We encourage you to check before hiring any contractor, including us.
For information on defensible space requirements in your specific area, visit CAL FIRE. For Los Altos tree permit requirements, see the City of Los Altos Tree Preservation page.
For a dead or fallen tree that cannot wait for a scheduled clearing project - available 24/7 for urgent hazard situations.
Learn MoreFor multi-lot, commercial, or ongoing tree management projects that go beyond a single residential clearing job.
Learn MoreCAL FIRE inspections ramp up as summer approaches - get your property cleared and compliant now. Call Rapid Los Altos Tree Services for a free on-site estimate.