Withdrawn from OAL on September 8, 2026. The Board of Forestry approved the statewide Zone 0 regulation on August 19 and filed it on August 28, but OAL now records that filing as withdrawn. It is not in effect, it is not under review, and it has no effective date. What changes, and when.
The Zone Zero ReportCalifornia defensible space, fencing & gates · tracked and explained
Free tool
Walk your first five feet: the Zone 0 self-assessment
16 questions · ~15 minutes with a tape measure · answers stay on your device
Measure five feet out from your exterior walls (include attached decks, stairs and pergolas as starting points) and walk the line. Answer honestly. You'll get a punch list ordered by what matters, based on the statewide Zone 0 regulation the Board adopted on August 19, 2026 (approved, not yet in effect), the in-force local ordinances, and the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home standard, with the "you don't need to fix this" items called out too. This is a homeowner walk-through, not an inspection, and it isn't legal advice.