The new ember-resistant zone
No combustible materials, vegetation, or debris within 5 ft of any structure in a designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
Is your California home Zone 0 compliant right now?
Free personalized report in minutes. Insurance carriers are enforcing Zone 0 today — get ahead before your renewal, before the inspection, before the non-renewal letter.
Step 1 of 3
The honest status
Where Zone 0 stands right now.
AB 3074 became law in 2021. The California Board of Forestry & Fire Protection is finalizing the rules in mid-to-late 2026 after multiple delays. When adopted, new construction in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones must comply immediately. Existing homes will be phased in starting 2027.
But the bigger deadline is your insurance carrier. California insurers are already applying Zone 0 standards to underwriting decisions — non-renewals, premium hikes, and claim denials are happening to non-compliant homes right now, regardless of what the state has finalized.
Getting ahead of the rule and your insurer is the same project.
Status as of May 2026. The Board of Forestry rulemaking has shifted multiple times — we update this page when it moves. Sources: California Board of Forestry & Fire Protection, Executive Order N-18-25, public Zone 0 Committee meeting records.
Is your home affected?
Two-thirds of California homes are at risk.
AB 3074 applies to homes in designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Here's what's changed.
AB 3074 rules finalizing now
The Board of Forestry is finalizing Zone 0 rules in 2026 after multiple delays. New construction must comply on adoption; existing homes phase in starting 2027.
Insurance carriers are enforcing it
California carriers are using Zone 0 compliance in non-renewal, premium, and claim decisions — regardless of where state rulemaking lands.
Why now
The state timeline keeps slipping. Your insurer's timeline is now.
California's Zone 0 rules have been delayed three times and are still being finalized. But insurance carriers aren't waiting — non-renewals, premium hikes, and claim denials are happening to non-compliant homes today.
Recent rulemaking timeline
- February 2025Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-18-25 directing the Board to finalize Zone 0 regulations by December 31, 2025.
- December 31, 2025The finalization deadline was missed. The Zone 0 Committee paused work over affordability and feasibility concerns.
- March 2026The Zone 0 Committee resumed work.
- April 17, 2026A Board of Forestry subcommittee released an updated draft emphasizing a phased, education-first approach over penalties.
- April 23, 2026Most recent Zone 0 Committee public meeting held.
Status reviewed May 2026. Source: California Board of Forestry & Fire Protection.
Signed September 2020
AB 3074 became law
The statute (California Public Resources Code §4291) directed the California Board of Forestry & Fire Protection to develop Zone 0 regulations. The original effective dates were missed; rulemaking is now expected to finalize in mid-to-late 2026.
Active now
Insurance carriers are enforcing Zone 0 today
California insurance carriers are already applying Zone 0 standards to underwriting decisions — non-renewals, premium hikes, and claim denials are happening to non-compliant homes right now, regardless of what the state has finalized.
Upon adoption
New construction must comply immediately
New construction in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones must comply immediately upon adoption.
2027 – 2029
Existing homes phased in
Existing homes are expected to be phased in starting 2027. Different sources give different timelines depending on the hazard zone and jurisdiction.
Zone 0— 0–5 ft · Ember-Resistant Zone
Zone 1— 5–30 ft · Lean, Clean & Green Zone
Zone 2— 30–100 ft · Reduce Fuel Zone
The Law
What Zone 0 actually means.
Zone 0 is the first 5 feet from every wall of your home. It must be free of anything that can burn — combustible mulch, wood chips, dry vegetation, wooden fencing attached to the house, firewood piles, propane tanks, lumber, and combustible outdoor furniture.
The rule is built on hard-won research: most homes that burn in a wildfire are not consumed by the fire front itself, but by embers that land in a vulnerable spot near the structure. Zone 0 is the strongest single thing a homeowner can do to survive an ember storm.
Beyond the safety case, it's also rapidly becoming an insurance issue. California carriers are pricing — and sometimes refusing — coverage based on whether a home meets these new ember-resistant standards.
The law is in effect. Where does your home stand?
Free 60-second check, personalized to your address. Most homeowners are halfway compliant already and don't realize it.
The process
How FireReadyHome works
Free Zone 0 Check
Enter your ZIP. We confirm if your property is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and walk you through a quick compliance check based on CAL FIRE's official requirements.
Get Your Personalized Report
See exactly what your home needs, an estimated cost range, and your Zone 0 Score. Free, no obligation, emailed to you for reference.
Choose Your Path
Tackle it yourself, get matched with a contractor, finance the work with a licensed lender, or get insurance help. You're in control.
Get your personalized Zone 0 report.
60 seconds. No credit check. Insurance carriers are using Zone 0 in renewal decisions right now.
Trusted standards
FireReadyHome is a private service. We're not affiliated with CAL FIRE or any government agency. Our guidance is based on publicly available CAL FIRE and California Board of Forestry materials. We partner with licensed California lenders, contractors, and insurance professionals.
Don't wait for the notice
Find out in 60 seconds — before the inspection, before the non-renewal letter, before the day you list.
Free Zone 0 readiness check. No credit pull, no obligation, and you'll know exactly where your home stands today.
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