Defensible SpaceWildfire Action Plan 2026


Defensible space plays a vital role in protecting your home from wildfires. It refers to the area you maintain between your house and nearby vegetation or wildland. By creating this buffer, you help reduce the intensity and spread of a fire, shielding your home from embers, radiant heat, and direct flames. It also provides firefighters with a safer, more effective space to work when defending your property.

 

Assembly Bill 38 (AB-38) - Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection


What is AB-38?

Effective July 1, 2021, California Assembly Bill 38 (AB-38) requires homeowners selling a property located in a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) to provide buyers with documentation showing the property complies with California's defensible space requirements, as outlined in California Civil Code Section 1102.19. 

If the required documentation is not available before the close of escrow, the buyer and seller may enter into a written agreement allowing the buyer up to one year after the close of escrow to obtain the documentation. 

Seller Disclosure and Home Hardening Requirements

In addition to providing documentation demonstrating compliance with defensible space requirements, sellers must also: 

  • Provide buyers with information about the availability of fire-resistant home retrofits using the State Fire Marshal's Low-Cost Retrofit List.
  • Disclose whether any of the recommended retrofits have been completed during their ownership of the property.

Sellers are also required to disclose any known wildfire vulnerabilities affecting the home's structure, including:

  • Gaps in eaves, siding, or roofing that could allow embers to enter
  • Single-pane or non-tempered glass windows
  • Roofing materials that are not Class A fire-rated
  • Missing noncombustible or ember-resistant vent screens
  • Combustible materials or vegetation located within 5 feet of the home
  • Rain gutters without noncombustible gutter covers
  • Missing metal flashing where decks attach to exterior walls
Do I Need an AB-38 Inspection?
You must request an AB-38 compliance inspection if: 
  • Your property is located in a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ). 
Check if your property is in a VHFHSZ: 



How to Request an AB-38 Compliance Inspection

Please contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at (626) 574-5104 or email FirePrevention@ArcadiaCA.gov for an AB-38 Compliance Inspection. Please note: A $240 fee will be due at time of scheduling. 


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  • Wildfire Action Plan 2026
  • Fire Resistant Plant Guide
  • FHSZ Zone Map Arcadia 2025