The 2020 law behind Zone 0
Assembly Bill 3074 was signed on September 29, 2020. It told the Board of Forestry to create an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet of buildings in fire zones.
The law set an original deadline of January 2023. The Board missed it, and the work stalled until 2025.
What it means for you
- Zone 0 comes from state law. The open question has always been how strict the rules will be.
Added to this site on October 10, 2026.
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Sources
- Is Zone Zero law yet?, California Defensible Space Guide (independent site), September 20, 2026 (not an official source)
- California again delays Zone Zero wildfire protection rules for homes, Sonoma Index-Tribune, December 10, 2025 (not an official source)
More updates
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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.
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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.
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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.