Governor orders the Board to speed up Zone 0
After the January 2025 Los Angeles fires, the governor ordered the Board of Forestry to speed up the Zone 0 rules for new and existing homes.
The order said requirements for existing homes would likely be phased in over three years. It set a deadline of December 31, 2025, which the Board later missed.
What it means for you
- This restarted the work that led to the August 2026 draft.
Added to this site on October 10, 2026.
Get Zone Zero Watch by email
We'll email you when the Zone 0 rule, the deadlines or insurance rules change. Nothing else.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. We never share your email. Privacy
Sources
- Governor Newsom signs executive order to further prepare for future urban firestorms, Office of the Governor, February 6, 2025
- California again delays Zone Zero wildfire protection rules for homes, Sonoma Index-Tribune, December 10, 2025 (not an official source)
More updates
-
Still no statewide Zone 0 rule
As of October 10, 2026, the state's list of emergency rules under review has nothing from the Board of Forestry. The statewide rule is not law. Some cities, like San Diego and Berkeley, have their own.
-
State pulls Zone 0 rules back before a ruling
The Board of Forestry withdrew its Zone 0 rules from final state review on September 8, 2026, before the Office of Administrative Law ruled on them. The rules never took effect.
-
Board of Forestry adopts Zone 0 rules
On August 19, 2026, the Board of Forestry adopted emergency rules for the 5 feet around homes in fire zones. They still needed state approval to take effect.