California homeowners living in areas with elevated wildfire danger could soon be required to follow tougher property-maintenance rules under a new state policy that may take effect as early as September.
The proposed “Zone 0” regulation would establish a required ember-resistant buffer in the first five feet around homes and other structures in wildfire-prone communities.
Under the rule, residents would need to clear combustible materials such as weeds, fallen leaves, branches and plants from the immediate perimeter of their homes. In some cases, homeowners may also have to replace certain fences and gates if they pose a fire risk.
“The first five feet from your home is the most important. Keeping the area closest to buildings, structures and decks clear will prevent embers from igniting materials that can spread the fire to your home,” CAL FIRE stated on their website.
“Use hardscape like gravel, pavers, or concrete. No combustible bark or mulch,” they added.
The Zone Zero Regulatory Advisory Committee is expected to adopt the final draft of the policy Wednesday morning. Formed in 2025, the committee operates under the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The push stems from Assembly Bill 3074, passed by the California Legislature in 2020, which directed the board to develop an ember-resistant defensible space zone within five feet of structures. Gov. Gavin Newsom also issued a 2025 executive order requiring the board to complete the regulation by the end of the year.
The proposed rule comes after years of destructive wildfires across California and follows a 2019 finding that 90% of structures that were “damaged or destroyed were first ignited by embers.”
California already has requirements for defensible space further out from structures such as Zone 1 (5 to 30 feet) and Zone 2 (30 to 100 feet).
