Zone 0 and defensible space, explained.

Plain-language pieces built from the actual regulation text and statutes, not a paraphrase of a news article - the same sourcing discipline behind our methodology page.

What Is a Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ)?

The classification that determines whether Zone 0, defensible space, and California's other wildfire-safety rules apply to your property at all - Moderate, High, Very High, and SRA vs. LRA, explained.

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California's Zone 0 Rule, Explained

What the Board of Forestry actually adopted on August 19, 2026 - the two-band safety-zone structure, the phased timeline, who it applies to, and what's still pending.

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Is Zone 0 In Effect Yet?

The Board approved the rule August 19, 2026 - here's exactly where it stands in the approval process and when it's expected to become legally enforceable.

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Zone 0 vs. Zone 1 vs. Zone 2: What's Actually Required in Each

California's defensible space rules cover 100 feet around a structure in three zones with different rules. Here's what each one actually requires.

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What Happens If You Don't Comply With Zone 0

The Board has been explicit that early enforcement is about education, not penalties. Here's what that actually means, and what's still unclear.

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SB 911 Didn't Pass. Here's What Actually Happened.

California's fire-disclosure enforcement bill died on the Assembly's inactive file. What it would have required, why the official page still calls it active, and why the new Zone 0 rule doesn't replace it.

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AB 38 / Civil Code §1102.19: The Real Estate Disclosure Requirement, Explained

Selling or buying a home in a California fire hazard zone? Here's the actual disclosure law, what it requires, and what the Legislature tried and failed to add to it.

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Who Actually Protects California's Biggest Counties From Wildfire?

CAL FIRE Units, Contract Counties, and the SRA/LRA split, explained plainly - and how each of California's ten most populous counties is actually covered.

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