Adopted August 19, 2026. The Board of Forestry approved the statewide Zone 0 regulation. It is not yet in effect: review by the Office of Administrative Law comes next. What changes, and when.
The Zone Zero Report California 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.