Zone Zero Requirements in Agoura Hills
Agoura Hills is the ignition corridor, not the sideline
The Woolsey Fire did not arrive in Agoura Hills. It came through Agoura Hills. After igniting near the Santa Susana Field Laboratory on November 8, 2018, the fire crossed the 101 near Liberty Canyon in the early hours of November 9 and ran through the city's open space on its way to the coast.
What decides whether a home survives that kind of wind-driven fire is rarely the flame front. Wind-blown embers travel a mile or more ahead of the fire and land in mulch beds, wood fences, and dry plants pressed against siding. The first five feet.
Agoura Hills backs directly onto the Santa Monica Mountains: Ladyface Mountain, Liberty Canyon, Old Agoura, the Cornell corridor. If your street touches that open space, Zone Zero is written for your house.
What the law actually says →What Zone 0 requires, and when
Requirements arrive in phases. Rebuilds and new construction comply from day one.
Clear the five feet
Mulch, dead plants, firewood, stored items: all of it leaves the 0-5 ft zone. Estimated deadline 2027-2028.
Replace what burns
Combustible fences, gates, and attached structures in the zone get replaced. The local jurisdiction sets the deadline, up to 5 years after adoption.
New fences & rebuilds
No new combustible fences in Zone 0 once regulations adopt. New construction and fire rebuilds comply from day one, with no grace period.
Harden vents now
Ember-resistant vents are the highest-value upgrade you can make today. No deadline needed.
LA County Fire enforces Zone Zero in Agoura Hills
Agoura Hills contracts fire protection and emergency response to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. County fire crews from Station 89 on Kanan Road and Station 65 on Cornell Road already know these canyons, and the county's defensible space inspection program is the framework Zone 0 will layer onto.
The city has its own wildfire planning layer too: a Community Wildfire Protection Plan and a Community Wildfire Risk Assessment Project, and the volunteer Agoura Hills Fire Safe Council works on neighborhood-level preparedness. Enforcement under the April 2026 draft is education-first: notices and corrections before penalties.
Quick answers for Agoura Hills homeowners
Is Zone Zero the same as the brush clearance notice I already get?
No. Los Angeles County Fire Department defensible space inspections cover vegetation out to 100 feet or more. Zone 0 covers everything in the first 5 feet of your home: fences, mulch, planters, and stored items, and it is stricter.
Does Zone Zero apply to my Agoura Hills home?
If your parcel is mapped Very High on the 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, yes. Agoura Hills saw its Very High territory expand in the March 2025 CAL FIRE remap, and the city hosts the current zone viewer on its website. Check your parcel, not your intuition.
Who enforces Zone Zero in Agoura Hills?
The Los Angeles County Fire Department. Agoura Hills contracts fire protection to the county, with Station 89 on Kanan Road and Station 65 on Cornell Road serving the city. Enforcement under the April 2026 draft is education-first.
When does this actually start?
Final regulations are expected late 2026. New-fence and rebuild rules apply immediately at adoption. Phase 1 clearing of the 0-5 ft zone follows for existing homes, estimated 2027-2028.
Find out exactly what your home needs
Free assessment from a CSLB-licensed local contractor. Know where your parcel stands before the deadlines arrive.