Zone 0 is the first five feet out from a structure, including any attached deck. It is an ember-resistant band, not a countywide order to cut every tree in every San Diego yard today.
AB 3074 requires that ember-resistant zone based on Board of Forestry regulations. The statute says the new-structure version does not take effect until the Board updates the regulations and guidance document, and existing structures follow one year after new structures. As of the September 5, 2026 source review in this site’s claims ledger, the Office of Administrative Law still listed the Board’s Zone 0 package under review. Do not treat that packet as a live statewide cutting deadline.
This page is that 0-to-5-foot band. For the rest of the 100-foot layout, use defensible space Zone 1 and Zone 2.
Branch Pro San Diego is a referral service. We connect you with licensed, insured independent local tree professionals. You hire and pay the professional directly. We don’t inspect for the fire authority or decide which law governs your parcel.
What does the five-foot band actually cover?
Measure from the structure, including an attached deck. A Ramona house in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and a Mission Hills bungalow are not the same fire authority.
CAL FIRE’s current defensible-space page describes Zone 0 as the first five feet and states that statewide Zone 0 rules are not legally required yet. Local departments can already be stricter. Confirm the address with the fire authority that covers it.
The City of San Diego defensible-space guide already distinguishes Zone 0, 1, and 2 and allows maintained trees in that first five feet under current local rules. Pending statewide regulations do not erase that local guide, and they are not a blank check to leave fuels against a wall.
Poway has its own department. Rancho Bernardo is in the City of San Diego. A County parcel in Lakeside or Valley Center may sit in a State Responsibility Area. Ask which checklist is current for that address.
Do the trees in those five feet have to come out?
No automatic yes. AB 3074 also says the 100-foot defensible-space subparagraph does not apply to single specimens of trees or other vegetation that are well-pruned and maintained so as to effectively manage fuels. That is not a keep-or-cut order for every San Diego yard.
Dead leaves, needles, and wood against the wall or on the roof are a different job from taking down a well-maintained specimen. Public Resources Code style rules in AB 3074 already tell owners to keep plants adjacent to or overhanging a building free of dead or dying wood, and to keep the roof clear of leaves and needles.
If the tree is a City street tree between the sidewalk and the curb, the City’s street-tree maintenance program uses a no-fee permit after City inspection. A private crew’s availability is not authority to remove a City street tree.
For a tree that is too close in the ordinary roof-and-wall sense, see tree too close to a house.
What belongs in a written scope?
Ask the independent professional for a written scope that separates:
- Ground fuels, mulch, and stored wood in the first five feet
- Deadwood in the canopy over the roof, deck, or chimney
- Live-tree pruning versus whole-tree removal
- Work on City land, easements, or MHPA/open-space adjacency that needs a separate approval
- Who confirms the current fire-authority checklist for the address
For paid tree work, look up the license on the CSLB license lookup. An active C-49 Tree and Palm license or an active legacy D-49 can both be valid. California’s current minor-work threshold is an aggregate price under $1,000, with extra conditions.
If birds could be nesting, CDFW recommends a consulting biologist’s survey. February through August is typical for many species. Nesting can occur at other times. The City’s February 15 to August 15 biological-survey window is for the sensitive-habitat context described in its guide, not a statewide rule.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zone 0 already required on every San Diego County house?
No. Statewide Zone 0 depends on Board of Forestry regulations taking effect. Local fire authorities can already have their own near-structure rules. Confirm the address.
Does Zone 0 mean every plant in five feet must be removed?
No. Do not publish that as a blanket order. The City of San Diego’s current guide allows maintained trees in that band. Confirm the written standard for the parcel.
Is Zone 0 the same as the 100-foot defensible-space rule?
No. Zone 0 is the ember band at 0 to 5 feet. Zone 1 and Zone 2 cover the rest of the layout out to 100 feet or the property line.
Can Branch Pro tell me which fire law applies from a photo?
No. The fire authority for the address sets the checklist. The independent professional can scope tree work after you know which standard applies.
Get connected with a local pro
If a tree is on a conductor, call 911 and SDG&E at 1-800-411-7343 first. For Zone 0 tree work after you have the fire authority’s current written standard, call (858) 400-4423. We’ll connect you with a licensed, insured independent local professional. You hire and pay that professional directly.