California homeowners could be required to make some changes to their landscaping thanks to a new statewide wildfire-defense policy in what officials described as a first for California — and the nation. Officials could adopt the policy on Aug. 19, and it’d go into effect as soon as next month.
Under the proposed Zone 0 regulations, Californians in specific areas statewide could be required to remove “combustible materials” outside their home, like fallen leaves and woodchips, and follow some maintenance requirements over plants and trees in the immediate area around their residence. Homeowners might also have to make some changes to their fences and sheds.
The proposed Zone 0 regulations are one element of California’s broader wildfire resilience strategy, according to a California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection memo. Its goal is to reduce fire spread and protect structures by reducing things that can catch fire easily within the first five feet surrounding a building — an area where wind-blown embers accumulate and ignite structures, according to the memo.
What Zone 0 Could Require Around Your Home
Officials have spent over a year developing the regulations following the Los Angeles County fires in January 2025. The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection will consider adopting the final draft at a meeting on Aug. 19.
California already has requirements in place for larger stretches of the area surrounding a home in the form of Zone 1 and Zone 2. These zones are considered defensible spaces, or “an area around a structure where fuels are removed or reduced to provide a buffer between a structure and the surrounding area that is vital for protecting homes and communities from wildfire,” according to the board.
Zone 0 targets the first five feet surrounding homes. Fallen leaves, tree needles, bark, firewood and other combustible materials must be removed from this area, according to a summary of the draft regulation.
Trees within this zone must be maintained so that there are no dead or dying branches, and live tree branches must be at least 10 feet away from chimneys, among other rules. In the area closest to the walls of your home, vegetation will not be allowed, and there are rules about the vegetation that is allowed closer to the building. For example, potted plants must be in noncombustible pots and easily movable.
Sheds in Zone 0 must have noncombustible exterior roofs and walls, and homeowners may have to make changes to the portion of their fence attached to the home, such as replacing a wooden gate with a metal gate.
Who Could Be Affected and When
According to the Zone 0 documents and Cal Fire, the proposed regulations would apply to property owners within:
- State Responsibility Areas, where the state is responsible for wildfire protection and prevention
- Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in the Local Responsibility Area, where local government is responsible for wildfire protection
You can see whether you live in the Very High category using maps on Cal Fire’s website. In local responsibility areas, fire agencies can authorize alternative practices, although those variations still need to have a similar effect to the Zone 0 regulations.
The regulations could go into effect in September, according to a board memo. They would apply to new construction once adopted, while existing homes and structures would face a phased-in approach:
- Phase 1, within the first three years: Remove combustible items such as firewood, dead leaves, branches, mulch and woodchips within five feet of the structure. Also remove dead and dying plants and trim trees according to the regulations.
- Phase 2, within five years: Create an “under-eave safety zone,” replace combustible gates and make necessary changes to sheds and fencing.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California homes face landscaping changes under ‘Zone 0’ fire rules
Reporting by Paris Barraza, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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