On August 19, 2026, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection voted 8-0 to adopt the state’s first “Zone 0” ember-resistant defensible space regulations, covering the first five feet around homes and other structures. The rules take effect after Office of Administrative Law (OAL) review and filing, expected around September 2026 for new construction. Existing structures phase in over three to five years. The rule reaches roughly two million structures statewide, and for incorporated cities and towns it applies in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) within the Local Responsibility Area (LRA).
The regulations implement AB 3074 (2020), SB 504 (2024), and AB 1455 (2025), which amended Public Resources Code section 4291, together with Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-18-25. They add “Zone 0” to California’s existing defensible space framework, in which Zones 1 and 2 already cover 5 to 30 feet and 30 to 100 feet. The adopted text sits in Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Division 1.5, Chapter 7, Subchapter 3, Article 3, with a Local Responsibility Area track at sections 1298 et seq. and a State Responsibility Area track at sections 1299 et seq.
What Zone 0 requires
Zone 0 is the area within five feet of a structure, measured from exterior walls, the roof, and attached decks, stairs, or pergolas. The adopted rule:
- Prohibits combustible materials in the full five feet, including firewood, bark and wood-chip mulch, dead leaves and needles, and other debris, and requires roofs and gutters to be kept clear.
- Allows existing trees to remain, subject to maintenance: no dead or dying branches, branches at least ten feet from chimneys, ladder fuels removed, and clearance above roofs and away from walls.
- Allows well-maintained, low, non-woody plants and lawns in the outer part of Zone 0, outside a non-combustible “safety zone” nearest the building. That safety zone flexes with the eave width, down to a one-foot minimum, with vegetation-free buffers near windows, doors, and attached decks.
- Requires a five-foot noncombustible section where fences or gates attach to a structure, bars new combustible fences or gates within five feet, and requires outbuildings in Zone 0 to be noncombustible.
The final rule is notably less restrictive than earlier drafts, and it prioritizes education and outreach over penalties.
The rule applies in State Responsibility Areas and in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within the Local Responsibility Area. New construction must comply upon the effective date. Existing structures phase in:
- Immediately, on the effective date: clear roofs and gutters, and complete core tree maintenance (no dead or dying branches, branches ten feet from chimneys, none under eaves).
- Phase 1, within three years (roughly 2029): remove combustible materials, firewood, and ladder fuels, and clear under decks.
- Phase 2, within three to five years (roughly 2031): establish the under-eave safety zone, replace combustible attached fences and gates, and address sheds and outbuildings.
Because the phase clocks run from the effective date, the exact calendar dates depend on when OAL completes its review.
What this means for local agencies
For incorporated cities and towns, Zone 0 falls under the LRA track (14 CCR 1298), which carries meaningful local authority. A local agency responsible for fire protection in the LRA may adopt alternative compliance practices tailored to local conditions such as lot size, topography, and structure composition, but under Public Resources Code section 4117 those practices must be at least as protective as the state standard, must be approved by the governing body, and must be supported by a finding of substantially similar effect. Cities and Towns may also adopt stricter standards.
An important note for residents is that compliance with Zone 0 will tie into the Department of Insurance “Safer from Wildfires” discount framework. Additionally, the state is expected to align Climate Bond funding, CAL FIRE grants, and California Conservation Corps labor to help with implementation.