2020 · Assembly Bill
AB 3074
Created the zone
Directed the state to create Zone 0: an ember-resistant zone in the first 5 feet. The implementing statewide regulation is not in force.
The Law · Plain Language
Zone 0 vs LAFD brush clearance, explained
AB 3074 (2020) directed the state to create an ember-resistant Zone 0 in the first 5 feet around structures in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. That statewide implementing regulation is not in force as of September 19, 2026 (OAL file 2026-0828-03E withdrawn September 8, 2026). In the City of Los Angeles, LAFD brush clearance is required now. City Council directed LAFD to draft a local alternative — in process, not adopted.
The Statutes
What the statutes actually do
AB 3074 directed the state to create Zone 0. That is not a current statewide “must keep Zone 0 clear” rule. Existing defensible-space law and LAFD brush clearance still apply.
2024 · Senate Bill
SB 504
Gave it teeth
Gave the Board of Forestry authority to write Zone 0 regulations. The emergency filing was later withdrawn; there is no statewide rule in force.
2025 · Assembly Bill
AB 1455
Set the clock
Addressed a compliance timeline. That statewide clock did not become law. Do not treat late 2026 / 2027–2028 as live dates.
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: recommended now
Statewide Zone 0 is proposed — not in force, so there is no statewide new-fence ban in effect. Clearing combustibles at the fence-to-house connection is recommended now. Materials and the gate detail are on the fences page.
Read the fence rules →
Landscaping
Landscaping: recommended now in the first five feet
Combustible mulch, dead vegetation, and plants against the structure in the first five feet are recommended now. There is no statewide Phase 1 deadline.
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 first five feet are recommended now to address, not a statewide Phase 2 mandate.
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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
Required now: LAFD brush clearance. Proposed: statewide Zone 0. Recommended now: first five feet. Full status 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 a specialist
Start with what is required now versus recommended now on your parcel.
Skip the statute reading
See what is required now versus recommended now on your parcel.
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