Orange County Zone 0 rules | Required now vs Proposed

The framework

The statutes, and what they do not currently do

AB 3074 (2020) directed the state to create an ember-resistant zone. SB 504 (2024) and AB 1455 (2025) refined the framework. As of September 19, 2026 there is no statewide Zone 0 regulation in force. The Board of Forestry emergency filing (OAL 2026-0828-03E) was withdrawn September 8, 2026. AB 3074 directed the state to create an ember-resistant zone; that is not a current statewide rule requiring Zone 0 to be kept clear. Existing defensible-space law still applies: PRC section 4291 and Government Code section 51182, plus local defensible-space rules.

Then it goes local, and Orange County goes local more than once. OCFA is the AHJ for most cities and the unincorporated canyons. Anaheim, Placentia, Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa, and Huntington Beach run their own departments; do not flatten them into OCFA. OCFA Vegetation Management Guideline C-05 (January 1, 2026) is a new-construction fuel-modification plan-review rule, not a countywide existing-home Zone 0 ordinance. On vegetation, draft statewide language scaled back blanket tree restrictions, and local rules may allow well-maintained trees. Verify with your own department.

Zone 0 is the first 5 feet out from every wall, deck, and attached structure. AB 3074 directed the state to create an ember-resistant zone; that statewide rule is not in force as of September 19, 2026.

In the zone

What Zone 0 restricts in the first five feet

Combustible fencing and gates attached to or within 5 feet of the structure. This is the most common Orange County retrofit, Recommended now unless a local rule has adopted it. See the fences guide.
Combustible mulch such as bark and wood chips against the foundation. Hardscape, gravel, and stone are the replacements. See the landscaping guide.
Woody shrubs and flammable plantings under eaves and windows.
Stored combustibles: firewood and lumber in the ring. Trash and recycling containers and outdoor cushions in the first five feet are Recommended now unless your fire authority has adopted a local rule.
Attachments matter too: decks, stairs, and trellises within the zone face material requirements. See home hardening.

The science behind the rule comes from IBHS ember research: wind-driven embers, not the flame front, ignite most homes, and they ignite them at the base of the wall, in the fence line, and in the mulch bed. Zone 0 removes the fuel where the embers land.

Questions

Quick answers

What laws actually create Zone Zero?

AB 3074 (2020) directed the state to create an ember-resistant zone. SB 504 (2024) and AB 1455 (2025) refined the framework. The implementing statewide regulation is not in force: OAL file 2026-0828-03E was withdrawn September 8, 2026.

Is Zone 0 the same thing as defensible space?

Zone 0 is the newest and strictest part of defensible space. California already required Zones 1 and 2 (5 to 30 feet, and 30 to 100 feet). Zone Zero adds the 0 to 5 foot ember-resistant ring, because post-fire research shows embers igniting material right against the structure is how most homes are lost.

What happens if I don't comply?

Existing defensible-space law is already in force. Statewide Zone 0 is Proposed — not in force. OCFA or your municipal fire department is the AHJ. Inspections, if any, follow that department's current programs, not a withdrawn statewide draft.

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