Know Your Zone

The basic facts:

In 2020, California enacted Assembly Bill 3074, mandating the creation of an “ember-resistant zone”—referred to as “Zone 0”—within five feet of structures in designated high fire hazard areas. This initiative aims to reduce the risk of homes igniting from wind-driven embers during wildfires, a leading cause of structural fires.

Despite the law’s passage, implementation has faced delays. Originally set to take effect in 2023, the regulations have not been finalized, leaving many homeowners uncertain about compliance requirements.

In response, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-18-25 in February 2025, directing the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to expedite the adoption of Zone 0 regulations. The goal is to have these regulations in place by the end of 2025.

Key Aspects of Zone 0:

• Scope: Zone 0 encompasses the area within five feet of a structure, including attached decks and stairs.

• Requirements: The final regulations will likely prohibit combustible materials in zone 0 such as wooden fences, mulch, turf, and bushes. Exceptions may include large, well-maintained mature trees and wood decks and stairs.

• Applicability: Once finalized, the rules will apply immediately to new constructions in State Responsibility Areas and Local Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Existing structures will have three years to achieve compliance.

• It’s unclear how local fire jurisdictions will staff and pay for compliance inspections to what appears to be millions of added homes beyond the ones currently subject to brush clearance mandates.

Stakeholders:

Developing Zone 0 regulations has involved stakeholders, including CAL FIRE, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, local fire agencies, and construction industry lobbyists. This stakeholder approach was supposed to ensure that the regulations were practical and considered the diverse needs of California’s communities but homeowners, especially southern California homeowners, have not been well represented.

Addressing Concerns:

Independent scientists studying Wildland Urban Interface fires, whose views do not always align with the fire service industry perspective, have been largely excluded from the process. Many homeowners have expressed their concerns about the expense and quality of life impacts of complying with Zone 0 requirements but they have felt ignored and shamed. To address these experiences, community members are organizing to push back.

Our Take: (Zone Zero Conejo Valley)

The one-size-fits-all approach taken by the BOF fails to recognize the vast differences between homes in rural environments and the relatively small lots found in suburban communities. The new risk mitigation regulations should reflect these differences.

We are questioning the science behind the mandated removal of well irrigated, high moisture plants from Zone 0. Videos circulated by CAL FIRE and insurance companies are staged using very low moisture vegetation constructed to look like a small tree in a pot, creating the impression that irrigated plants are likely to sources of ember driven house fires. We are not convinced. A decision this impactful deserves the most up to date and unbiased science.

Well irrigated plants cool homes and neighborhoods, provide important habitat for birds and insects, and provide mental health benefits for residents. These are not trivial “esthetics”, to be cast aside without well substantiated evidence.

Moving Forward:

Implementation of Zone 0 regulations represents an importnat step toward enhancing community fire resilience. Homeowners will cooperate with these efforts if there is good science behind the mandates, transparency in the process, and if there is flexibility in implementation that takes cost, enjoyment, and use of property into account.