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The LawZone Zero Regulations for Westlake Village Homes
What each law actually does
AB 3074 (2020) created Zone 0: it added an "ember-resistant zone" covering the first 5 feet around structures to California's defensible space law, Public Resources Code 4291, for parcels in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
SB 504 (2024) pushed the framework forward, directing the Board of Forestry and CAL FIRE to finish the implementing regulations and extending requirements to more of the state's highest-hazard land.
AB 1455 (2025) refined phasing and enforcement, the education-first posture, the phase structure for existing homes, and the immediate rules for new construction.
The April 17, 2026 Board of Forestry draft is the most current regulatory text. Final adoption is expected late 2026. Everything on this site tracks that draft and is updated when the text changes.
See how the phases land on the calendar →How Zone 0 lands on a Westlake Village parcel
The state writes the floor; the Los Angeles County Fire Department applies it here. The county already inspects defensible space annually in Very High zones, and Zone 0 adds the 0-5 ft band to that same inspection visit.
Westlake Village adds a wrinkle few cities have: the community it anchors is split by a county line. A homeowner on the LA County side and a neighbor two streets away in Thousand Oaks will get their Zone 0 schedules from two different fire departments. If your parcel is in the City of Westlake Village, LA County Fire is your only AHJ, and this site tracks their schedule.
Regulation questions, answered
Which law created the 0-5 foot rule?
AB 3074, signed in 2020, created the ember-resistant zone as a third defensible space zone under Public Resources Code 4291. SB 504 (2024) and AB 1455 (2025) extended and refined the framework, and the Board of Forestry’s April 17, 2026 draft is the most current regulatory text.
Is Zone 0 law in Westlake Village right now?
The statutes are law; the implementing regulations are not final. Final adoption is expected late 2026. Once adopted, the new-fence restriction and new-construction requirements apply immediately, and phased deadlines follow for existing homes.
Does the state rule or the county rule govern my parcel?
Both, in layers. The state framework is the floor. The Los Angeles County Fire Department, as Westlake Village’s AHJ, sets the local schedule and runs inspections. Where the county writes stricter or more specific requirements, the county’s version is the one an inspector applies at your property.
My home is on the Ventura County side of Westlake. Does this page apply?
No. This site covers the Los Angeles County city of Westlake Village. The Westlake neighborhoods inside Thousand Oaks, including North Ranch, are under the Ventura County Fire Department and are covered by our sibling site, Zone Zero Ventura.
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