Clear
Remove leaves, needles, dead plants, firewood, lumber, wood mulch and other combustible material.
California homeowner resource
The first five feet
deserve attention first.
Zone 0 is the area immediately around your home and attached structures. Thoughtful changes here can reduce the chance that windblown embers ignite something beside the building.
ZONE 00–5 feet
Measure from walls, roofs and attached features
What to know
Guidance today.
Requirements vary.
Existing California defensible-space law already applies to many properties in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Local ordinances may be more protective.
The Board of Forestry approved a detailed Zone 0 package in August 2026. Until it completes state review and becomes effective, use the actions below as practical recommendations—not as a property-specific compliance determination.
A practical starting point
Keep the area clean,
simple and maintainable.
Start at the structure and work outward. The safest, easiest-to-understand approach is to keep the full five feet free of readily ignitable material wherever practical.
Clean
Keep roofs, gutters, decks, stairs and the areas beneath them free of accumulated debris.
Create
Use gravel, stone, pavers, concrete or other noncombustible surfaces next to the home.
Disconnect
Keep combustible fencing, furniture, bins, doormats and stored belongings from creating a path to the structure.
Plan with the whole property in mind
Zone 0 is one layer
of a resilient home.
Ember-resistant area
- Prefer noncombustible ground cover
- Remove dead or dying vegetation
- Move firewood and stored combustibles
- Clean under attached decks and stairs
Protect the structure
- Keep roofs and gutters clear
- Evaluate vents, eaves and openings
- Interrupt combustible fence connections
- Consider decks, siding and windows together
Continue outward
Zone 1 and Zone 2
complete the buffer.
For properties subject to California Public Resources Code §4291, current law requires up to 100 feet of defensible space around structures—or to the property line when it is closer. These statewide guidelines are a starting point; local rules may be stricter.
ZONE 15–30 feet
Lean, clean and green
Reduce nearby fuels and break up pathways that could carry flames toward the home.
- Remove dead plants, grass, weeds, leaves and needles
- Keep roofs and gutters clear and trim branches 10 feet from chimneys
- Move wood piles into Zone 2 and clear beneath decks and stairs
- Prune and space trees, shrubs and combustible items
ZONE 230–100 feet
Reduce and separate fuels
Slow an approaching fire by reducing vegetation density and separating potential fuels.
- Cut or mow exposed grass to a maximum height of 4 inches
- Remove dead vegetation and accumulated fallen debris
- Create horizontal and vertical spacing between shrubs and trees
- Prune lower tree branches and maintain clearance around outbuildings and propane tanks
Measure from the structure. Defensible-space work stops at your property line unless another legal arrangement applies. Slope, vegetation type and local ordinances can require different spacing.
An important nuance
Not every plant is treated the same.
California’s adopted draft would allow limited, well-maintained nonwoody vegetation in portions of Zone 0 outside specified safety buffers. That does not make any plant “fireproof.” Placement, height, spacing, moisture, debris and ongoing maintenance all matter. A local inspector or qualified professional should evaluate property-specific conditions.
Check the official sources
Rules can change.
Confirm locally.
Use these resources to check the latest statewide guidance, determine whether defensible-space rules apply to your location and ask your local fire authority about stricter ordinances.
Turn guidance into a project
Know what to do next.
Perimeter helps organize property conditions, recommendations, providers and documentation into one coordinated plan.