CA Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Approves First-in-the-Nation Zone 0 Regulations
The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection approved final Zone 0 defensible space regulations on August 19, 2026, in Sacramento — the nation’s first such rule. The regulation stems from several legislative actions: Assembly Bill 3074 (2020), Senate Bill 504 (2024), Assembly Bill 1455 (2025), and a 2025 executive order from Governor Newsom. It targets the five-foot zone immediately surrounding homes, an area identified as most vulnerable to ember ignition during wildfires.
The rule followed roughly 15 months of development, including about 20 public workshops, site visits, and outreach to homeowners, fire officials, environmental groups, and local governments.
Scope and structure:
The regulation applies to homes in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within Local Responsibility Areas. It divides the five-foot zone into two parts: a non-combustible “safety zone” directly against the home (width matching the eave size, e.g., one foot for one-foot eaves), and a low-combustibility zone covering the remaining space out to five feet.
Implementation timeline:
NEW CONSTRUCTION must comply immediately upon adoption.
EXISTING HOMES follow a phased approach:
- Phase 1 (within 3 years): Remove combustible debris (firewood, dead leaves, mulch, wood chips) within 5 feet of structures; clean gutters; remove dead/dying plants; trim trees; adjust vegetation.
- Phase 2 (within 5 years): Create under-eave safety zones, replace combustible gates, and modify sheds/fencing as needed.
Vegetation rules:
No combustible materials are allowed in Zone 0, including on roofs or in gutters. A vegetation-free buffer is required within one foot of structures (or to the eave’s drip line), with no plants within two feet of windows, doors, and vents, or within five feet of decks. Small non-woody plants, low ground covers, maintained lawn, and potted plants in non-combustible containers are permitted elsewhere in the zone.
Tree rules:
Trees are allowed but must be maintained — branches kept 10 feet from chimneys, trimmed 5 feet above roofs, and kept clear of eaves. Dead wood and low “ladder fuel” branches must be removed, with specific clearance requirements based on tree size.
Structures:
A five-foot non-combustible section is required where fences meet the home (Phase 2), no new combustible fences or gates may be built in Zone 0, and sheds/outbuildings within the zone need non-combustible roofs and walls.
Local flexibility:
Communities may adopt alternative approaches if they achieve equivalent safety outcomes, or adopt stricter standards, with local fire agency coordination and jurisdictional approval.
Enforcement approach:
The Board says implementation will emphasize education and outreach rather than penalties, alongside funding tools such as grants, tax incentives, and bond funding to help offset compliance costs.
Next steps:
The regulation package moves to the Office of Administrative Law for review, followed by a five-day public comment period, before formal approval and publication by the Secretary of State.
Board officials, CAL FIRE representatives, the State Fire Marshal, a Napa County supervisor, and wildfire researchers from Stanford and other organizations issued supportive statements, emphasizing the science-based basis of the rule and its practicality for homeowners.
Before becoming law, the adopted regulation package will be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for review before being officially approved and published by the California Secretary of State.
All Images Courtesy: CA Board of Forestry and Fire Protection
