Zone Zero Fence Rules in Brentwood
Zone 0 regulates where the fence meets the house
During the Getty Fire, embers landed a mile ahead of the flame front. A fence line is a continuous fuel path: fire walks it from the property line to the eave. Breaking that path in the last five feet is the whole point of the rule.
- Steel, aluminum, wrought iron fencing and gates
- Masonry, concrete block, stucco-faced walls
- Noncombustible posts and hardware
- Metal gates at side yards and trash enclosures
- Wood fences and gates touching or within 5 ft of a structure
- Vinyl that melts and exposes framing
- Composite products with combustible cores
- Wood trellises and privacy screens on the wall
Zone 0 fence questions from Brentwood
Do I have to replace my whole wood fence?
Usually not. The rule targets the portion of the fence inside the ember-resistant zone: roughly the last 5 feet where it approaches or attaches to a structure. Many Brentwood fences comply by swapping that connection segment to metal and keeping the rest.
When does the fence rule take effect?
In two ways. New combustible fences in Zone 0 are prohibited immediately once regulations adopt, expected late 2026. Existing fences fall under Phase 2, on a schedule the City of Los Angeles sets, up to 5 years after adoption.
What about the horse fencing in Sullivan Canyon?
Corral and pasture fencing out in the yard is generally outside the 0-5 ft zone and not the target. The rule cares about fencing within 5 feet of structures: the barn wall, the house, the garage. That connection point is where material matters.
Which materials pass?
Metal is the clean answer: steel, aluminum, and wrought iron all pass. Masonry and concrete block pass. Wood, vinyl that melts and deforms, and composite products with combustible cores are the materials the rule removes from the first five feet.
Get your fence line assessed free
A licensed contractor walks the fence line, flags the connection points, and prices only what the rule actually requires.