Santa Monica homeowners in designated fire hazard zones will need to clear combustible materials within five feet of their homes under new state regulations approved Aug. 19 by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The board voted 8-0 to adopt the nation's first statewide Zone 0 defensible space standard, targeting the area where wind-blown embers most often ignite structures. The rules apply to properties in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, which include several Santa Monica neighborhoods, and to State Responsibility Areas statewide. An estimated 2 million California homes fall under the new requirements, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"The regulations will make our communities safer," Board Chair Terrence O'Brien said at the Aug. 19 meeting. "Waiting and postponing is not, in my opinion, an option."
What homeowners must do
Existing homeowners face a two-phase timeline:
Phase 1 (within three years): Remove firewood, dead leaves, wood chips and bark mulch from within five feet of structures. Clean gutters and roofs of debris. Remove dead plants. Trim trees five feet back from roofs and 10 feet from chimneys.
Phase 2 (within five years): Install non-combustible materials where fences attach to homes, replace combustible gates, create under-eave buffers and ensure nearby sheds have non-combustible roofs and walls.
Newly built homes must comply immediately once the Office of Administrative Law completes its review and the California Secretary of State publishes the regulation, which could happen as early as September.
What's allowed in Zone 0
The rules don't ban all landscaping. A vegetation-free "safety zone" extends at least one foot from the structure's wall (matching the eave width), but beyond that drip line, maintained non-woody plants like succulents, poppies and low ground cover are permitted in spaced groupings. Trees may remain if lower branches are removed (the bottom six feet for large trees, or the lower third for smaller ones) and dead wood is cleared. Vegetation must stay two feet from windows, doors and vents, and five feet from attached decks.
Why it matters locally
A UC Berkeley study of five major California fires from 2017 to 2020 found that properties with cleared Zone 0 vegetation had a 37% survival rate, compared to 20% for those with no precautions. The state has lost more than 60,000 structures to wildfire in the past decade.
The regulation was originally due by 2023 but stalled until the January 2025 Los Angeles fires accelerated the process. Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in February 2025 directing the board to finish the rules.
Enforcement and insurance
State officials plan to prioritize education and outreach over penalties during implementation, according to the Los Angeles Times. Cal Fire will enforce the rules in State Responsibility Areas, while local fire departments handle enforcement in local zones. Agency spokesperson Ricardo Coronado told the Record Searchlight that Cal Fire will focus on education as the rules roll out.
On insurance, compliance does not automatically guarantee a discount or coverage offer. However, under California's Safer from Wildfires program, insurers must provide credits for specified mitigation measures, with potential discounts ranging from 4% to more than 40% of total premium depending on risk and property characteristics.
Not everyone supports the approach. Sarah Flaherty, a representative for L.A. City Councilwoman Tracy Park, told the board that compliance will cost homeowners thousands of dollars for hardscaping, fence replacement and steep hillside erosion control, with no funding provided for homeowners or local fire departments tasked with enforcement.
Cities retain authority to enact stricter standards or develop alternate strategies with local fire agencies. The Santa Monica Fire Department has not publicly commented on local implementation.
Residents can check whether their property falls in a designated fire hazard zone at the city's fire hazard severity zone page. The five-day public comment period during the Office of Administrative Law's review is the final step before the regulations take effect.
