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Zone Zero (Ember-Resistant Zone)

The First Five Feet Decide the Rest.

Zone 0 is the five feet of ground touching your home, and it is where most ember-lit fires actually start. A single wood-chip bed, a juniper against the wall, or a stack of firewood can carry flame straight to the structure. We harden Zone 0 with non-combustible hardscape, masonry, and approved materials so the area closest to your walls cannot become fuel.

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Hardened Zone 0 with stone and gravel along a foundation wall

0 to 5 ft

Zone 0: the highest-risk ground on the property

AB 3074

California's Zone 0 defensible-space law

2027

Target year for Zone 0 compliance in high/very-high FHSZ

What We Harden in Zone 0.

Assessment and remediation of the five feet around your home, plus every attachment that touches it.

  • Replace combustible mulch with rock, gravel, or approved mineral mulch in the 0 to 5 ft band
  • Remove or relocate shrubs and vegetation touching the wall
  • Non-combustible hardscape and masonry transitions
  • Clear firewood, fuel, and stored combustibles off the wall line
  • Under-deck and under-stair clearance within Zone 0
  • Coordinate with vent, gutter, and fence work for one hardened envelope

This work meets the following compliance standards:

  • CA AB 3074
  • Zone 0 (Ember-Resistant Zone)
  • Board of Forestry Zone 0 regulations
  • WUI-aligned

How We Harden Zone 0.

  1. Inspection

    Exterior-only walkthrough. We photograph every vent, gutter line, fence segment, and the five feet around your foundation. No entry to your home required.

  2. Risk Report

    An EmberSafe Inspection Report flagging the openings most likely to fail in an ember storm, with photos, locations, and a prioritized retrofit plan.

  3. Plan & Permits

    We scope the work, pull required permits, and schedule around fire season.

  4. Retrofit

    Certified install. Vent assemblies, gutter guards, Zone 0 hardening, whatever your home needs, in the order that protects you fastest.

  5. Documentation

    Before/after photos, materials list, and an insurance-ready summary. Yours to share with whoever you choose.

Frequently Asked Questions.

What exactly is Zone 0?
Zone 0 is the first five feet measured out from your home's exterior walls, including under decks and stairs. California calls it the ember-resistant zone because keeping it free of anything that burns is the single most effective defensible-space step.
Is Zone 0 required by law?
California's AB 3074 created a Zone 0 ember-resistant zone requirement for homes in high and very high fire severity zones. The Board of Forestry standards are being finalized and phased in. We harden your Zone 0 to the published standard and document the work for your records and your carrier.
Do I have to remove all my plants?
Not the whole yard. Zone 0 is the first five feet. We remove or relocate what sits against the house in that band and replace combustible ground cover with non-combustible material. Your broader landscaping outside Zone 0 is handled under defensible space clearance.
How is this different from defensible space clearance?
Zone 0 is the 0 to 5 ft ember-resistant zone right against the home. Defensible space clearance covers zones 1 and 2, the 5 to 100 ft of managed, thinned vegetation farther out. We do both, and most homes need both. See our Defensible Space Clearance page.

Start at the wall line.

Start with a Free Zone 0 Assessment.

30-minute exterior walkthrough. We flag every combustible in your first five feet and send a plain-language report. No obligation.

Call (805) 852-1940Get My Free Risk Assessment