California's controversial Zone Zero wildfire regulations are back.
On November 5, 2026, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection approved revised emergency regulations governing the first five feet surrounding homes and other structures in designated wildfire-hazard areas.
The earlier regulations, approved in August, were withdrawn from state review in September to address questions about their wording and implementation.
The five-foot boundary remains unchanged. What has changed is the language governing trees, vegetation, combustible materials, fences, gates and compliance deadlines.
What Has Changed?
According to the Board's November 5 memorandum, revisions include:
Trees: Clarification that new trees cannot be planted within Zone Zero once the regulations become effective. Existing trees may remain outside the immediate safety buffer if they meet maintenance requirements.
Plants and landscaping: Revised definitions and simplified spacing requirements. Certain non-woody plants, ground covers, succulents and properly maintained lawns would be permitted in designated portions of Zone Zero.
Fences and gates: Clarified requirements for noncombustible materials, particularly where fencing connects to a home.
Measurements: More specific instructions for determining required clearances around structures, windows, doors, vents, eaves and attached decks.
Local flexibility: Clarification of how local jurisdictions may authorize alternatives that provide substantially similar fire protection.
The revisions are intended to improve clarity and consistency. They do not eliminate the underlying five-foot ember-resistant zone.
What Would Homeowners Be Required to Do?
The revised regulations distinguish between the area immediately adjacent to a home and the remainder of the five-foot zone.
An immediate noncombustible safety buffer would generally extend at least one foot from exterior walls, or farther to the edge of the roof overhang. Additional clearances would apply within two feet of windows, doors and vents, and within five feet of attached decks.
Outside these buffers, certain maintained plants and existing trees could remain.
Combustible materials such as firewood, wood chips, flammable mulch and dead vegetation would be restricted within Zone Zero.
The regulations do not require the automatic removal of every existing tree within five feet of a home. However, specific pruning, clearance and maintenance requirements would apply.
When Would the Rules Take Effect?
The regulations are not yet in effect.
The Board plans to submit the revised package to the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on or after November 13, 2026.
If approved and made effective, the requirements would apply to new construction immediately. Existing homes would generally receive phased compliance periods:
Within three years: Address combustible materials, vegetation, tree maintenance and other initial requirements.
Within three to five years: Complete additional safety-buffer requirements and necessary changes to certain fences, gates and outbuildings, according to local implementation deadlines.
Some roof-debris and tree-clearance requirements would apply immediately upon the regulations becoming effective, consistent with existing law.
Another Opportunity for Public Comment
The Board anticipates another public-comment period when the regulations are submitted to OAL.
Interested residents will have five calendar days after OAL posts the proposed emergency regulations to submit written comments.
If the filing occurs November 13, as anticipated, the comment period would close at midnight November 18, 2026.
Comments must be sent to OAL at staff@oal.ca.gov, with a copy to the Board of Forestry at publiccomments@bof.ca.gov.
The actual deadline will depend on the filing and posting date.
What This Means for Hollywoodland
Hollywoodland's hillside setting, mature landscaping, historic properties and distinctive architecture make the details of Zone Zero particularly relevant to local homeowners.
The revised regulations provide additional clarification and potential local flexibility, but they do not establish an automatic exemption for historic properties or landscaping.
Homeowners should review the official requirements and any applicable Los Angeles Fire Department rules before making significant changes to existing landscaping or structures.
The Hollywoodland Homeowners Association continues to provide factual information on Zone Zero without taking a position for or against the regulations.
The bottom line: The five feet haven't changed. The rules governing those five feet have—and final state approval is still pending.
Official Sources
California Board of Forestry — November 2026 Meeting Materials
Refer to Agenda Item 13:
13(a): Board memorandum explaining revisions
13(b): Homeowner summary, draft regulations and diagrams
13(d): Redlined comparison of August and November language
California Office of Administrative Law — Emergency Regulations Under Review
