California's defensible space law covers a full 100 feet around a home, not just the newly-adopted Zone 0. That 100 feet is split into three zones, each with its own rules, and the rules get less strict the farther you get from the structure. Here's what each one actually requires.
Zone 0: 0 to 5 feet
The newest and strictest of the three, adopted by the Board of Forestry on August 19, 2026. Covered in full in our Zone 0 explainer - the short version is a vegetation-free safety zone right next to the structure, a more limited low-combustibility zone out to five feet, no firewood, no combustible mulch, and specific tree maintenance requirements.
14 CCR §1298.04 / §1299.03(a)(i)Zone 1: 5 to 30 feet
This is the long-standing "lean, clean, and green" zone under Public Resources Code §4291, not something new. In this band:
- Remove all dead or dying grass, plants, shrubs, trees, branches, leaves, weeds, and pine needles - whether that's in the yard, on the roof, in the gutters, or anywhere else in the zone.
- Remove dead branches overhanging the roof or near windows, and keep branches at least ten feet from chimneys and stovepipe outlets.
- Relocate exposed firewood piles unless they're fully enclosed in fire-resistant material.
- Clear flammable vegetation and debris from under combustible decks, balconies, and stairs.
Zone 2: 30 to 100 feet
The outermost band is about spacing and fuel reduction, not removal. You choose (or your local agency specifies) one of two approaches:
- Fuel Separation - horizontal and vertical spacing between shrubs and trees so fire can't easily climb or jump between them.
- Continuous Tree Canopy - a different spacing method suited to areas with a more continuous tree cover.
Either way, the same baseline standards apply:
- Dead and dying woody surface fuels and aerial fuels removed; loose surface litter (fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones, small branches) can stay up to a maximum depth of three inches.
- Annual grasses and forbs cut to a maximum height of four inches.
- Exposed wood piles need a minimum of ten feet of clearance to bare mineral soil in every direction.
Both Zone 1 and Zone 2 also require a minimum ten feet of clearance to bare mineral soil around outbuildings and propane tanks (plus an additional ten feet with no flammable vegetation), and include water-quality protections that limit clearing bare soil near streams or on steep slopes.
14 CCR §1299.03(h)Which zones actually apply to you
Zone 1 and Zone 2 have applied broadly under PRC §4291 for years. Zone 0 is the newly-adopted piece, and it doesn't reach every property the same way - it's scoped to State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within local jurisdictions. Enter your address below to see exactly which zones and requirements apply to your specific property.