Is this the same as LAFD brush clearance? Los Angeles Zone 0
Is your Los Angeles property in the Very High zone?
Enter your address to check it against the CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone map. These pages cover City of Los Angeles parcels. LAFD is the Authority Having Jurisdiction, not LA County Fire.
Embers destroy LA homes, not walls of flame
Wind-blown embers travel more than a mile ahead of a fire front. They land in mulch beds, wood fences, and dry plants pressed against siding. The first five feet.
The January 2025 Palisades Fire proved it inside city limits. Homes ignited from the ground up, street after street.
If your home sits in LA's hillside zones, from the Palisades bluffs to the Verdugo foothills, the first five feet is the highest-leverage prevention you can do — required, proposed, or recommended depending on the rule that actually applies.
Three labels, used the same way on every page
As of September 19, 2026 there is no statewide Zone 0 regulation in force in California. Existing defensible-space and LAFD brush-clearance law still applies. A local Zone 0 ordinance has not been adopted.
LAFD brush clearance in VHFHSZ
LAMC Article 7 already requires brush clearance (typically 200 ft) plus roofs, gutters, and 3-inch grass. Source: City of LA, July 2, 2026.
Statewide Zone 0
The Board of Forestry emergency filing was withdrawn on September 8, 2026 (OAL file 2026-0828-03E). City Council directed LAFD (January 2026, CF 10-2468-S2 lineage) to draft a local alternative — in process, not adopted.
Harden the first five feet
Clear combustibles, choose non-combustible ground cover, and move stored items off the wall. That work is effective prevention whether or not a Zone 0 ordinance applies to your parcel.
Vents, cushions, trash cans
Ember-resistant vents are the highest-value upgrade you can make today. Outdoor cushions and trash or recycling containers in the first five feet are recommended now, not a cited local mandate.
LAFD is the AHJ inside the city
The LAFD Brush Clearance Unit already inspects Very High FHSZ parcels every year starting in May. That program is required now. Statewide Zone 0 is proposed — not in force. Zone 0, where a local ordinance has adopted it, is the first five feet only, and it covers more than plants. The City has not adopted a local Zone 0 ordinance.
Neighborhoods within the city
Status is local, even within Los Angeles city limits. These neighborhoods have their own dedicated guide, with local fire history, hillside-specific FHSZ detail, and neighborhood-level FAQs:
Outside the city? Your community has its own guide.
Enforcement differs by city. LA County Fire covers the unincorporated foothills and coast, while Pasadena, Burbank, and Glendale run their own departments. Find your local site (guides for the remaining communities are on the way):
Quick answers for LA homeowners
Is this the same as LAFD brush clearance?
No. LAFD brush clearance in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones is required now under LAMC Article 7 (typically 200 ft; roofs, gutters, and 3-inch grass). Zone 0 is the first five feet and covers more than plants: mulch, fences, and stored items. Statewide Zone 0 is proposed — not in force. The City has not adopted a local Zone 0 ordinance. Clearing that five feet is recommended now.
I rent out the property. Who's responsible?
The property owner. Compliance obligations attach to the parcel, not the occupant.
My house is in the flats, not the hills. Am I exempt?
Check your parcel. Zone boundaries follow the maps, not intuition. Plenty of flat streets near hillsides fall inside the Very High zone.
When does enforcement actually start?
LAFD brush clearance in VHFHSZ is required now. As of September 19, 2026 there is no statewide Zone 0 regulation in force; the Board of Forestry emergency filing was withdrawn on September 8, 2026. City Council directed LAFD to draft a local alternative — in process, not adopted. The first five feet is recommended now.
Find out exactly what your home needs
Know what is required now versus recommended now on your parcel.