Public Safety · Mendocino County
New State Defensible Space Rules to Affect Area Property Owners
California Board of Forestry proposed Zone Zero regulations require property owners in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones to reduce combustible materials within five feet of structures. Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma Counties contain nearly 1.8 million acres designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity, representing about 10% of such acreage statewide. New construction must comply immediately, while existing properties phase in requirements over three to five years; some measures like clearing roofs, gutters, and dead branches take effect now. Local jurisdictions may adopt additional protocols or exemptions, and residents with property-specific questions are directed to the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority or the Mendocino County Fire Safe Council.