You should know your home zone and what it could mean for your risk mitigation responsibilities, insurance costs, property enjoyment, and resale value.
In Ventura County Fire Department jurisdictions, both RED and ORANGE map zones will be required to comply with Zone 0 regulations.
Know Your Zone
Local fire jurisdictions are busy getting the word out to communities about the benefits of creating an ember resistant 5 foot zone (zone 0) around their homes.
Most residents don’t realize that the final risk mitigation requirements could impact their enjoyment of their home and its resale value.
Look up your home on the 2025 Fire Severity Map. Scroll down the page to the - Explore Fire Hazard Severity Zones – click on ‘view map on cell/tablet device' link if needed.
Start entering your address and select it when it appears in the drop down.
Red is very high, Orange is high, and Ventura County elected to include both colors in the soon-to-be-adopted mitigation requirements.
When you enter an address, the map will zoom in on that neighborhood and show a black icon for the address. You can zoom out and move the map around to see other neighborhoods.
The text will provide your responsibility area and the fire hazard severity zone the property is in based on the recommended but not yet adopted 2025 hazard map. [see example below] The current draft of the Zone 0 requirements is here
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 regulations will likely prohibit combustible materials such as wooden fences, mulch, and flammable vegetation within this zone. Exceptions may include certain non-combustible items and well-maintained mature trees.
Applicability: Once finalized, the rules will apply immediately to new constructions in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Existing structures will have three years (some sources say 1 year) to achieve compliance.
Stakeholders:
Developing Zone 0 regulations involves collaboration among stakeholders, including CAL FIRE, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, local governments, local fire agencies, and community organizations. This collaborative approach is supposed to ensure that the regulations are practical and consider the diverse needs of California’s communities.
Addressing Concerns:
Many homeowners have expressed concerns about the potential costs and quality of life impacts of complying with Zone 0 requirements. To address these concerns. Community members are organizing because these concerns seem to be falling on deaf ears.
Our Take: (Zone Zero Conejo Valley)
The one-size-fits-all approach 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 dead vegetation, creating the impression that irrigated plants are the reason for ember ignited house fires.
Moving Forward:
Implementation of Zone 0 regulations represents a proactive step toward enhancing community resilience. Homeowners will cooperate if there is good science behind the mandates and if there is flexibility in implementation that takes enjoyment and use of property into account.
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