2020 · Assembly Bill
AB 3074
Created the zone
Created Zone Zero: an ember-resistant zone covering the first 5 feet around structures in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
The Law · Plain Language
The Zone Zero Regulations, Explained
AB 3074 (2020) created Zone Zero: an ember-resistant zone covering the first 5 feet around structures in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. SB 504 (2024) gave the Board of Forestry authority to enforce it, and AB 1455 (2025) set the compliance timeline. The final regulation text, building on the April 2026 draft, is expected to be adopted in late 2026.
The Statutes
The three laws behind Zone Zero
One created the zone, one gave it teeth, one set the clock. Together they decide what happens in the first five feet around your home.
2024 · Senate Bill
SB 504
Gave it teeth
Gave the Board of Forestry authority to enforce Zone Zero and write the regulations that make it real.
2025 · Assembly Bill
AB 1455
Set the clock
Set the compliance timeline: adoption expected late 2026, with phased deadlines counted from that date.
Wildfire Rules, Explained
What Zone 0 regulates, item by item
Every category below has a dedicated page with LA-specific guidance. Start where your property is most exposed.
Fences & Gates
Fences & gates: the immediate rule
New combustible fences within 5 feet are prohibited the day regulations are adopted. Existing fences get a Phase 2 window. Materials and the gate detail are on the fences page.
Read the fence rules →
Landscaping
Landscaping: the Phase 1 work
Combustible mulch, dead vegetation, and plants against the structure must leave the first five feet, estimated 2027–2028 for existing homes.
Gutters & RoofRoof, gutters & embers
Clean gutters and ember-resistant details protect the zone you clear. Covered in the home hardening overview.
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Decks & patios
Attached combustible decks inside the zone are Phase 2 items. See what the draft regulations expect.
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Vents & openings
Ember-resistant vents block the most common ignition path into the structure itself.
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Sheds & outbuildings
Structures within 5 feet of the home can carry the same requirements. Check before you build.
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Timeline & deadlines
Adoption late 2026 · immediate rules · Phase 1 est. 2027–2028 · Phase 2 up to 5 years. Full table on the deadlines page.
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Who must comply
Roughly 1 in 8 City of LA homes sits in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. LAFD enforcement details are on the Los Angeles page.
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Find licensed help
Free assessments from CSLB-licensed local contractors: the fastest way to a compliance plan.
Skip the statute reading
A free assessment translates all three laws into a to-do list for your specific property.
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