On August 19, 2026, the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (“Board”) adopted emergency regulations establishing an ember-resistant defensible space zone within five feet of qualifying structures, commonly called “Zone 0.” The Board submitted the regulations to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on August 28, 2026, and OAL’s five-calendar-day public comment period closed on September 2, 2026. OAL approval and filing are required before the regulations become effective. The regulations add ember-ignition controls to California’s existing defensible space framework. They establish standards for Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in Local Responsibility Areas (LRAs) and revise the rules for State Responsibility Areas. Cities and districts may be affected both as owners or operators of facilities in covered areas and as agencies responsible for notice, inspection or enforcement. …Cities and districts should focus now on identifying potentially covered properties, monitoring the final effective dates and guidance, preparing consistent implementation procedures and deciding whether local alternatives are warranted.