The Conflict between Fire Safety and Endangered Species Regulations

This article from a Santa Cruz, California paper reports the difficulties of landowners who wish to abide by the county's rather strict "sensitive habitats" ordinance, but who also have a pressing need to clear their lands of brush and trees that may present a fire hazard.  Although there may be some play at the local level, at the federal level it would be immensely difficult to obtain a habitat conservation plan and take permit to clear brush on one's property.