If you missed the April 23, 2026, Zone Zero Board of Forestry and Fire Protection update, Yana Valachovic, UC ANR Fire Network – Community Resiliency and Built Environment, gives us a recorded comprehensive breakdown and summary of the Draft Regulations by the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, that was presented at a Firewise Leader Workshop on May 9th.
Key Rules
- No combustible materials anywhere in Zone 0 (mulch, wood chips, fallen leaves, firewood, etc.)
- Trees are allowed but must be trimmed — lower branches removed up to 6 feet (or ⅓ of height), 5 feet of clearance above roofs, and 10 feet from chimneys
- Vegetation-free buffers required within 1 foot of walls, under eaves, 2 feet from windows/doors/vents, and 5 feet from attached decks
- Small herbaceous plants (non-woody, under 18″) are allowed in the outer portion of Zone 0 in spaced groupings
- Fences/gates attached to the home must have a 5-foot non-combustible span; no new combustible fences within 5 feet of the structure
- Sheds/outbuildings in Zone 0 must be built entirely of non-combustible materials
We are all talking about it—its time to get the facts.
Finally we get all the details of Zone Zero explained to us.
Images and Video: Courtesy UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
