California homeowners in high wildfire risk zones may soon face strict new regulations in maintaining their homes under a policy that could go into effect as soon as September.
The proposed “Zone 0” regulation creates a mandatory ember-resistant buffer within the first five feet around a home and structure located in areas that are more susceptible to wildfire.
Combustible materials such as weeds, leaves, branches, and plants will have to be removed outside of homes while some fencing and gates may have to be replaced as well.
“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 planning on adopting the final draft of the policy on Wednesday morning. The committee was created in 2025 and is part of the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The California legislature passed Assembly Bill 3074 in 2020, which required the Board to create an ember-resistant defensible zone for the first five feet surrounding a structure. Governor Gavin Newsom also signed an executive order in 2025, requiring the board to finalize the creation of the regulation by the end of that year.
This ultimately comes as fires have devastated communities across California throughout the past few years and because of a 2019 release that said 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).
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