Zone Zero Regulations Explained | AB 3074 & the 2026 Draft

The framework

Three laws, one draft, and your local enforcer

AB 3074 (2020) created Zone 0 in statute, using the term "ember-resistant zone." SB 504 (2024) and AB 1455 (2025) refined how it's implemented and funded. The April 17, 2026 Board of Forestry draft is the most current regulatory language, and final regulations are expected in late 2026.

Then it goes local, and Ventura County goes local twice. The Ventura County Fire Department applies the framework for the contract cities and unincorporated communities; the City of Ventura's independent department applies it inside city limits, on the city's own mapping. Local adoption also matters for vegetation: the state draft scaled back blanket tree restrictions after widespread public concern, and local rules may allow well-maintained trees. In the oak-shaded Ojai Valley especially, verify with your own authority before removing anything.

Zone 0 is the first 5 feet out from every wall, deck, and attached structure. Under the April 2026 Board of Forestry draft, this ring must be kept free of combustible material.

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 immediate-effect item and the most common retrofit. 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, lumber, trash bins, and furniture cushions in the ring.
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. Both of this county's anchor fires, the Thomas Fire and the Mountain Fire, were Santa Ana wind events that proved the point locally.

Questions

Quick answers

What laws actually create Zone Zero?

AB 3074 (2020) created the ember-resistant zone requirement in state law. SB 504 (2024) and AB 1455 (2025) refined the framework, and the Board of Forestry's April 17, 2026 draft is the most current regulatory text. Final regulations are expected in late 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. The Thomas Fire's single-night destruction of 500+ Ventura residences is the local case study.

What happens if I don't comply?

Under the April 2026 draft, enforcement is education-first: your fire authority inspects, notifies, and works with you on corrections before penalties come into play. In this county that's VCFD or, inside the City of Ventura, the city's own department.

Find out what your property needs

A free assessment tells you exactly which Zone Zero requirements apply to your parcel, what your local fire authority will look for, and what to fix first. 100% free, no obligation.

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