Zone Zero-What We Need to Know
Here’s a practical, LA-focused FAQ focused on what’s currently enforceable in Los Angeles and what’s coming via statewide rule-making, since the details are still being finalized.
Zone 0 (Zone Zero) is currently the subject of significant attention both in support and in opposition. What we aim to do in this news item is keep HHA members and our community- living in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone - updated on the latest publicly available information around what is enforceable, and why.
Zone 0 Fire Regulations in Los Angeles — FAQ
1.) What is “Zone 0”?
Zone 0 (aka “Zone Zero” or the “ember-resistant zone”) is the first 0–5 feet around your home and any attached structures (attached decks, stairs, landings, wooden fences). It’s intended to be the area least able to ignite from wind-blown embers.
2.) Why does Zone 0 matter so much?
Because the majority of homes lost in wildfires ignite from embers landing in combustible material right next to the structure. Research and state guidance consistently identify the first five feet as the highest-risk ignition area.
3.) Where will Zone 0 rules apply in LA?
State law ties Zone 0 to properties in State Responsibility Areas (SRA), and Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) mapped as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ).
Many hillside and wild land-urban interface neighborhoods in Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County fall in these zones.
4.) Is Zone 0 already enforceable in Los Angeles City?
Partly, yes. The Los Angeles Fire Department’s brush-clearance rules already treat the first five feet as “Zone A” and require it to be maintained as an ember-resistant area for properties in the city’s Very High Fire Severity Zones.
5.) Is Zone 0 enforceable in unincorporated LA County / contract cities?
LA County Fire Department currently enforces defensible-space rules (Zones 1 & 2) and is warning residents that AB 3074 Zone 0 rules are coming, but the state’s final “what exactly is allowed” list is not yet adopted.
6.) What’s the legal basis for Zone 0?
Zone 0 comes from AB 3074 (2020) and updates in SB 504 (2024), which amended Public Resources Code 4291 to add a required ember-resistant 0–5 ft zone.
7.) When do the statewide Zone 0 regulations take effect?
The Board of Forestry must finish statewide rule-making by Dec 31, 2025 under Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-18-25.
After adoption:
New construction in mapped high-hazard zones will have to comply right away.
Existing homes will get a phase-in period. Recent state briefings/news suggest up to three years, while LA County’s 2025 notice references a one-year delay for existing structures—so expect the final rule to clarify this.
8.) What’s the basic idea of compliance in Zone 0?
Keep the first five feet non-combustible and ember-resistant.
The state and local guidance emphasize removing anything that can ignite easily and replacing it with hardscape or other non-combustible surfaces.
9.) What materials are typically not allowed in Zone 0?
While the final statewide list is still being formalized, current CAL FIRE defensible-space guidance and LA city rules already align on these “don’ts”:
No wood mulch, bark, or dry leaf litter right against the house
No firewood, lumber, or cardboard storage in the 0–5 ft band
No combustible furniture, mats, or décor that collects embers
Avoid/relocate flammable shrubs immediately adjacent to walls or under windows
No combustible fencing or gates touching the structure unless interrupted by a noncombustible section
10.) Are any plants allowed in Zone 0?
Right now, CAL FIRE’s recommendation is essentially “no combustible vegetation within 5feet.”
The Board of Forestry is still deciding whether to allow limited exceptions (e.g., small irrigated plants/pots with spacing). Until final rules publish, assume you should keep Zone 0 plant-free or extremely minimal and well-maintained, and follow your LAFD/LA County inspector’s direction.
11.) What about trees or big shrubs near the house?
Zone 0 focuses on surface fuels within 5 feet, but LA County’s defensible-space rules also require:
All trees/shrubs kept free of dead material
Removal or aggressive pruning of highly flammable species within 30 feet of structures (Zone 1). So even if a tree trunk is beyond 5 feet, don’t let branches overhang roofs or touch walls, and keep the ground below it clear.
12.) Do attached decks and stairs count?
Yes. Zone 0 includes the 0–5 ft perimeter around attached decks/stairs and wooden fences, because embers that land there can ignite the home through the attachment point.
Keep deck edges and the area below them free of combustibles.
13.) How will compliance be inspected/enforced in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles City (LAFD): annual brush-clearance inspections in VHFHSZ, including Zone A (0–5 ft).
LA County Fire: annual defensible-space inspections; non-compliance can trigger administrative fines and cost recovery.
14.) How do I know if my home is in a VHFHSZ / SRA?
Check CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps and your city/county hazard layers.
LA County notes a 2025 rollout of updated local responsibility maps.
If you already receive brush-clearance notices from LAFD or LA County Fire, you’re almost certainly in a regulated zone.
15.) What should I do now (even before final state rules)?
If you’re in a hillside / brush area, doing this now will almost certainly match the final rule:
Zone 0 quick checklist (0–5 ft):
1. Remove wood mulch, leaves, needles; swap to gravel, stone, pavers, or bare mineral soil.
2. Move firewood, patio cushions, doormats, cardboard boxes, and plastic bins outside the 5-ft band, at least on Red Flag days.
3. Separate any wood fences from the house with a short non-combustible section.
4. Keep corners and bases of walls free of debris where embers pile up.
5. If you keep plants, confine them beyond 5 feet and keep them irrigated and trimmed.
16.) Is help available for homeowners?
Yes. LA County promotes Home Ignition Zone evaluations and Fire Safe Council support for defensible-space/home-hardening advice, and local wildfire-prep groups (like MySafe:LA) are actively educating residents.
Bottom line for LA right now
City of LA properties in VHFHSZ already must treat the first 5 feet as ember-resistant (LAFD Zone A).
County and many contract cities are enforcing defensible space and preparing for statewide Zone 0 rules, with final details due by the end of 2025.
You won’t be wrong if you make that first five feet basically non-combustible starting now.
