Zone 0 is now law in San Diego. Existing homes have until February 28, 2027.
Zone 0 requires a five-foot ember-resistant perimeter around every home in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone — and that's about two-thirds of the City of San Diego. This site explains exactly what the rule requires in plain English, and connects you with licensed local crews who can get your property compliant before the deadline.
Which rule applies to your home?
San Diego County has three different Zone 0 timelines depending on which side of a city line you live on, and the February 28, 2027 deadline is only one of them. Pick your community and we’ll tell you which rule governs your property, who enforces it, and what to do next.
Not sure whether you’re in a fire hazard zone at all? Check your address on the 2025 map.
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What Zone 0 requires
Zone 0 is the first five feet out from your home's exterior walls, and it must be kept free of anything that can carry an ember to the structure — woody vegetation, wood or bark mulch, wood products, and petroleum-based materials.
Most homes that burn in a wildfire are not touched by flames. They ignite from wind-blown embers that land in a shrub, a mulch bed, a woodpile, or a pile of leaves right against the house. Zone 0 removes those ignition points in the five feet that matter most. Here is what that means in practice for a typical San Diego property.
Woody plants against the house
Shrubs, hedges, and woody groundcover within five feet of the walls, including plants under windows and eaves. Well-watered, low, non-woody plants may be allowed in limited cases — check the what's-allowed guide.
Wood and bark mulch
Replace combustible mulch in the five-foot zone with gravel, decomposed granite, pavers, concrete, or bare soil. Rubber mulch is also combustible and does not qualify.
Combustible fences attached to the house
A wooden fence that meets the wall acts as a fuse. The section that touches the structure needs to be removed or replaced with a noncombustible gate or panel. Fences that are not properly maintained must be removed.
Anything stored against the walls or under decks
Firewood, lumber, propane tanks, trash and recycling bins, patio cushions, brooms, and doormats made of natural fiber all need to move out of the five-foot zone.
Healthy, mature trees
Established trees can remain if they are healthy, limbed up, and the vegetation and litter beneath them is cleared. Dead or dying trees must be removed.
Wooden decks and porches
Existing decks and porches are treated as part of the structure and can remain, but the area under and around them must be kept clear of debris and stored items.
Who has to comply
If your home is inside a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in the City of San Diego, Zone 0 applies to you, and the deadline for existing homes is February 28, 2027.
The city's 2025 fire hazard map places roughly two-thirds of San Diego inside these zones. That includes most of Scripps Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos, Carmel Valley, Del Mar Mesa, Tierrasanta, San Carlos and Del Cerro, and the canyon-edge streets of La Jolla, University City, Mira Mesa, and Clairemont. If your backyard drops into a canyon or open space, assume you are in one.
Outside the city limits — Poway, Escondido, Ramona, Alpine, Rancho Santa Fe, and unincorporated county areas — California's statewide Zone 0 rule applies on a separate timeline set by the Board of Forestry, and the 100-foot defensible space requirement has applied for years. Your community page has the specifics.
Key dates
- July 1, 2021California requires a defensible space inspection when a home in a High or Very High fire zone is sold.
- February 28, 2026Zone 0 takes effect for all new construction in the City of San Diego's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
- February 28, 2027Existing homes in those zones must meet Zone 0. San Diego Fire-Rescue has said it is "looking for progress, not perfection" — education and property assessments come first, with citations reserved for owners who make no effort.
- Every year afterVegetation grows back. Zone 0 and the 100-foot brush management zone need to be maintained annually, typically before fire season peaks in late summer and fall.
What it costs to get compliant
Zone 0 work on a typical suburban lot is usually a one- to two-day job. Full brush clearance for larger properties runs roughly $2,000 to $4,000 per acre for moderate growth in San Diego County, and more on steep slopes.
The price depends on three things: how much woody vegetation is in the five-foot zone, whether combustible mulch and fence sections need to be replaced, and whether your property also needs the wider 30- and 100-foot defensible space zones brought up to standard. Many homeowners handle the hauling-away of stored items themselves and hire a crew for the vegetation and hardscape work.
The County of San Diego also runs a wildfire mitigation program that, for eligible homeowners, can pay contractors to create defensible space and make home-hardening improvements. Ask about it when you request a quote.
How it works
Tell us about your property
Two minutes: your address or ZIP, lot size, and whether you need Zone 0 only or full brush clearance. No obligation.
Get matched with a licensed local crew
We connect you with an independent, licensed and insured company that does Zone 0 and defensible space work in your part of the county.
Get a written quote and a date
Compare, ask questions, and book if it makes sense. Get it done well before the deadline and before fire season crowds every crew's calendar.
Zone 0 questions San Diego homeowners are asking
What exactly is Zone 0?
When is the deadline?
I live in Poway, Ramona, or unincorporated county. Does this apply to me?
Do I have to tear out my wooden fence?
Can I keep the trees near my house?
What happens if I don't comply?
Is this site run by the City or CAL FIRE?
Get a free Zone 0 or brush clearance quote
Tell us a little about your property and we'll connect you with a licensed, insured local crew that does this work in your part of San Diego County. No obligation, no spam — one company, one written quote.
Prefer to talk first? Email hello@sddefensiblespace.com.
Service areas across San Diego County
Zone 0 and brush clearance help for homes in the City of San Diego's fire zones and the county's backcountry and foothill communities.