California’s efforts to strengthen wildfire safety took an unexpected turn this week when the State Board of Forestry (BoF) announced it will not meet the Governor’s December 31 deadline to finalize new regulations for “Zone 0,” the five-foot ember-resistant space established under Assembly Bill 3074. Instead, the Board indicated it will pause work in January and February, with plans to reconvene in March.
For many communities — particularly in Southern California — this pause may be good news. It creates a rare opportunity for the Board to take a deeper look at how wildfire risk varies across the state and how proposed regulations may need to adapt to real-world conditions.
Why Zone 0 Matters — And Why It Has Been Controversial
Zone 0 aims to reduce the chance that a home ignites during a wildfire by addressing combustible materials within the first five feet around a structure. While vegetation in this zone can contribute to home ignitions, it is only one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Southern California’s wildfire landscape is different from many other regions of the state. Dense neighborhoods, limited setbacks, steep canyon topography, and powerful Santa Ana winds create unique challenges that blanket policies may not adequately address. For many homeowners, removing all vegetation within five feet is either impractical or environmentally harmful — and in some cases, may provide limited additional safety benefit compared to improvements in the home itself.
MySafe:LA’s Position: “One Size Does Not Fit All”
In May, MySafe:LA submitted a formal letter to the Board highlighting a critical gap in the proposed regulations: the absence of home-hardening, a set of evidence-based construction and retrofit measures proven to reduce wildfire home loss.
Research shows that features such as ember-resistant vents, multi-pane windows, noncombustible siding, and covered eaves can dramatically reduce a structure’s vulnerability — often more than vegetation removal alone. While the Board of Forestry’s mandate focuses on defensible space, effective wildfire mitigation in Southern California requires a balanced emphasis on both vegetation and structural vulnerabilities.
Our message was simple: California is too diverse for a “one size fits all” policy, and any Zone 0 regulation must reflect the realities of Southern California’s built environment.
Photos Credit: David Barrett & Greg Doyle, MySafe:LA
What the BoF Pause Means
The Board’s decision to delay the rulemaking process signals several important developments:
1. Acknowledgment of Complex Regional Differences
By extending the timeline, the Board recognizes that wildfire risk cannot be governed by uniform standards alone. Southern California’s unique exposure to wind-driven ember storms requires policy tailored to local conditions.
2. A Chance to Incorporate More Science and Data
New research has shown that selective use of low-profile, moisture-rich plants and noncombustible landscaping can reduce ember vulnerability without requiring bare-earth zones. Additional time allows the Board to consider this emerging science.
3. An Opportunity for Better Public Engagement
A rushed policy could lead to widespread confusion, opposition, and low compliance. A thoughtful, deliberate process is far more likely to result in an effective, widely accepted regulation.
4. A Path Toward Integrating Home Hardening
While the Board’s authority is focused on vegetation, the extended timeline creates space for other state agencies and policymakers to consider parallel home-hardening guidance — a necessary step for comprehensive wildfire resilience.
MySafe:LA’s Role Moving Forward
We view this pause as a valuable opportunity. MySafe:LA stands ready to support the Board of Forestry, local governments, and the Governor’s Office by providing region-specific data, fire behavior insights, and community-level perspectives from the thousands of homeowners we work with each year.
Our commitment is clear:
- Promote science-based wildfire policy.
- Advocate for balanced, achievable solutions for homeowners.
- Ensure that Southern California’s unique wildfire challenges are fully understood.
- Support a regulatory framework that blends defensible space and home hardening.
Next Steps: Updated Letter and Community Support
In light of the Board’s announcement, MySafe:LA is preparing a new, updated letter that reinforces a central truth: the primary audience for Zone 0 regulations is the millions of Californians who live in at-risk homes and need all the help — and all the protective, science-based policy — the State can provide. These regulations are meant to support homeowners, not create confusion or impose requirements that are impractical or misaligned with regional realities.
Our updated letter will reflect the latest fire science, the unique conditions of Southern California, and the practical needs of the communities we serve. In the coming days, we will make this letter available for organizations, agencies, and individuals who wish to add their signatures in support.
Together, we can help ensure the Board of Forestry hears a clear message: effective wildfire resilience depends on policies that are flexible, regionally informed, and truly achievable for the homeowners whose safety is at stake.
