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Local Zone 0 is Required now for new buildings and additions. Statewide Zone 0 is Proposed — not in force. Inspections since June 1, 2026 are district hazard-abatement.
Local status
| Status | What it means | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Required now | Existing defensible space under PRC section 4291 and Government Code section 51182, plus district hazard-abatement standards. | Montecito Fire Protection District |
| Required now | Local Zone 0 for new buildings and additions via Development Standard #2 (Ordinance 2025-02, adopted November 17, 2025). | Montecito FPD; new buildings and additions |
| Proposed — not in force | Statewide Zone 0. AB 3074 directed the state to create an ember-resistant zone; the emergency filing was withdrawn September 8, 2026. The board packet's January 1, 2026 / three-year existing-structure clock did not become law. | California (not a current statewide mandate) |
| District program | Hazard-abatement inspections since June 1, 2026 are a Montecito Fire program, not statewide Zone 0 enforcement. | District territory |
| Recommended now | Clear the first five feet on existing homes. Trash and recycling containers and outdoor cushions in that band are recommended unless a local rule names them. | Every parcel; highest-leverage prevention |
To be precise: statewide Zone 0 is Proposed — not in force. What is true is that Development Standard #2 already requires Zone 0 for new buildings and additions, and that June 2026 inspections, Firewise certification, and the district's survey and hardening programs are local, not a statewide clock.
Questions
There is no statewide Zone 0 deadline. As of September 19, 2026 statewide Zone 0 is Proposed — not in force. Montecito Fire already requires Zone 0 for new buildings and additions under Development Standard #2. Hazard-abatement inspections since June 1, 2026 are a district program, not statewide Zone 0 enforcement.
Local Zone 0 for new buildings and additions is already Required now under Development Standard #2. Statewide Zone 0 is Proposed — not in force.
The June 2026 inspections enforce the district's existing hazard abatement standards, which overlap with but are not identical to local Zone 0 rules where they apply. Practically, a property that passes a Zone 0 assessment will be in strong shape for both, which is why acting on the five-foot ring now serves double duty.
Submit your address and we will follow up about which local rules apply to your parcel, what your fire authority will look for, and what an inspection would document.
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