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 this county goes local several ways at once. Independent city departments in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Santa Maria; county fire for Goleta and the unincorporated communities; the Carpinteria-Summerland district for the Carpinteria Valley. Local adoption is already visible here: the City of Santa Barbara's June 17, 2025 map adoption triggered Chapter 7A building standards in the newly mapped zones and came with a $100,000 council commitment toward a Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District, and county fire's inspections have walked Zone 0 in the field since June 1, 2026. On vegetation, the state draft scaled back blanket tree restrictions after widespread public concern, and local rules may allow well-maintained trees; 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. On this coast the wind has a name, the Sundowner, and the Jesusita and Tea fires both rode it into the foothill neighborhoods.

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, and Santa Barbara County Fire's current inspections walk all of it, Zone 0 included.

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. The county's current Zone 0 inspection program works exactly that way.

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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