The Malibu City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance Monday night officially designating the entire city as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, making it one of only a handful of California municipalities where every square inch carries the state's highest fire risk classification.
The council approved Ordinance No. 527, which updates the city's fire hazard designations based on the State Fire Marshal's 2025 Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map released in March. The ordinance replaces a previous version from 2006, though officials said the new map made no changes to existing fire hazard zones within Malibu.
"There are a handful at most, and maybe not even a handful of municipalities in the state of California in which every square inch is a very high fire hazard severity zone," said Council Member Bruce Silverstein during the meeting. "Many have significant areas, but we are completely engulfed in it."
The universal designation, while highlighting Malibu's extreme fire vulnerability, also provides the city with justification for adopting more stringent fire regulations than those applied in less dangerous areas, Silverstein noted.
However, the meeting took on added urgency as public speakers warned of impending state legislation that could dramatically alter how residents manage vegetation around their homes. The anticipated rules, stemming from Governor Gavin Newsom's Executive Order N-18-25, would mandate strict "Zone Zero" clearance requirements for existing homes by 2028, with potential fines and property liens for non-compliance.
"Presumably everybody in Malibu is going to be forced to comply with these zone zero regulations by the end of 2028 and if they don't, they'll be subject to a fine, and potentially a lien on their property," warned public speaker Darren Graves.
The Zone Zero regulations would require elimination of trees within 30 feet of any home and removal of non-ember-resistant plants within five feet of structures. Critics argue the rules could be environmentally destructive and counterproductive for fire safety.
"It would eliminate trees within 30 feet of any home," Graves said. "But it would really equate to is if you don't have a big parcel, you can't have any trees between your house and your neighbor's house. And trees are required to prevent the urban heat island effect from overwhelming our environment."
The vegetation debate revealed a philosophical split over fire safety approaches. While state regulators push for aggressive vegetation removal, some Malibu residents and officials argue that properly selected and placed trees can actually help protect homes during wildfires.
Council Member Steve Uhring, who lived through the Franklin Fire, supported this view: "The trees are a huge benefit, all right. I mean, they caught most of that stuff and never let it get near the house."
Public speaker Anne Kay also advocated for strategic vegetation management rather than wholesale clearing, emphasizing the importance of proper construction techniques to make homes more defensible in wildland areas.
Mayor Marianne Riggins acknowledged ongoing efforts by local leaders to find middle-ground solutions. She noted that neighboring cities, particularly Agoura Hills, are working to modify Zone Zero rules to allow appropriate vegetation that can help mitigate ember spread while maintaining environmental benefits.
The current ordinance maintains existing building codes and fire regulations for all Malibu parcels. Only areas under federal responsibility are excluded from the local designation, though they receive the same classification from federal agencies.
Government Code Section 51179 required the city to adopt the ordinance within 120 days of receiving the State Fire Marshal's recommendations. The city council had previously adopted the Local Responsibility Area map in June.
Sarah Flores, the city's Emergency Services Coordinator, presented the ordinance and confirmed it was exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review since it involved no physical changes to the environment.
The ordinance takes effect 30 days after adoption and will be submitted to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection within 30 days, as required by state law.
The debate over vegetation management rules is expected to intensify as state lawmakers prepare new legislation similar to the vetoed SB 326, potentially setting up conflicts between state mandates and local environmental concerns in one of California's most fire-prone communities.