Is your home ready for fire season?
Type an address. We read CAL FIRE's hazard maps and fire history for it, name the department that inspects, list every rule that applies, and tell you what to do first. Free.
From CAL FIRE's hazard maps and fire history, and the fire department's rules, checked November 6, 2026. Every result shows the hazard map around the home.
The three zones around a home
Most homes that burn are lit by embers landing close to the house. That's why the first 5 ft matter most.
- Zone 0, 0 to 5 ft
- No wood mulch, plants or stored wood against the home. No wood fence or gate attached to it. Hard surfaces like gravel or pavers.
- Zone 1, 5 to 30 ft
- Space between plants and trees, no dead leaves or branches, trees trimmed away from the roof.
- Zone 2, 30 to 100 ft
- Cut grass to 4 in, thin dense brush, and keep space between shrubs and trees.
What the new rules mean for you
California's Board of Forestry voted for Zone 0 rules on August 19, 2026, then withdrew them from state legal review on September 8. They aren't in effect yet. Once they are, they apply in very high fire hazard zones.
- New homes
- Must meet Zone 0 from the start, including ADUs.
- Existing homes
- In the August draft, some items are due when the rules take effect, most within 3 years, and fences, gates and sheds within 3 to 5 years. Zone 0 in detail
- Selling
- Sellers in a high or very high zone must give the buyer proof of defensible space compliance. What to disclose
- Insurance
- Insurers in California must offer discounts for some of this work. Ask yours about Safer from Wildfires.
The work that matters most
In the order we'd do it. The first three are a weekend of work; the last three are jobs to get quotes for.
- A weekendClear the first 5 ft
Remove mulch, plants and anything that burns against the walls.
- A weekendClean the roof and gutters
Leaves and needles are where embers catch.
- A weekendCover the vents
1/8 in metal mesh on attic and crawl space vents.
- Get quotesReplace a wood fence near the home
The last 5 ft of fence should be metal or masonry.
- Get quotesUpgrade windows
Dual-pane, tempered glass on the sides facing brush.
- Get quotesReplace the roof
Class A roof if yours is wood shake or older.
Fire guides for LA and Orange County
- What are California's Zone 0 rules, and are they in effect?California's Zone 0 (ember-resistant zone) rules for the first 5 ft around a home: what the Board of Forestry voted for in August 2026, who they cover, and why they aren't in effect yet.
- How much brush clearance does my home need in LA and Orange County?Brush clearance rules from LAFD and LA County Fire for 2026: 200 ft or 100 to 200 ft from the home, inspection dates, and the fees if you don't comply. Plus the state's Zone 1 and Zone 2 rules.
- Is my home in a very high fire hazard zone under the 2025 maps?How to check whether your home is in a moderate, high or very high fire hazard zone under CAL FIRE's 2025 maps, and what being in one means for brush clearance, Zone 0, insurance and selling.
- How do I rebuild in Altadena after the Eaton fire, and can I add an ADU?How LA County handles Eaton fire rebuilds in Altadena: like-for-like rules, the one-stop permit center, fee deferrals, self-certified plans, ADUs and temporary housing. Sourced and dated.
- How do I rebuild in the Palisades after the fire, and can I add an ADU?How the City of LA handles Palisades fire rebuilds: the Mayor's like-for-like order, Coastal Act and CEQA exemptions, and building an ADU before or with the main house. Sourced and dated.
- What is fire risk doing to home insurance in LA and Orange County?How wildfire risk is changing home insurance in LA and Orange County: homes moving to the FAIR Plan, policies not renewed, insurers that stopped writing new policies, and what owners can do. Official data, sourced and dated.
- How do I get a wildfire insurance discount in California?Which home upgrades California insurers must discount under Safer from Wildfires, what the FAIR Plan is and how to apply, and what the state's Sustainable Insurance Strategy asks of insurers.
- What must I disclose when selling a home in a fire hazard zone?What a seller in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone must give the buyer under California law, and how to get the defensible space inspection done. For homeowners and realtors in LA and Orange County.
- What does a new home or ADU in a fire hazard zone have to include?The fire-resistant construction rules for new homes and ADUs in very high fire hazard zones under the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code: roof, vents, windows and gutters.
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