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Protecting Your Home from Wildfire Starts in the First Five Feet

September 6, 2026

Wind-driven embers are one of the leading causes of homes being destroyed during wildfires. Embers can travel ahead of the flames and ignite leaves, mulch, plants, furniture, or wooden fencing next to a home.

That is why CAL FIRE identifies Zone 0—the first five feet around a home, deck, or attached structure—as the most important area for preventing ember ignition. The goal is to keep burning embers from finding fuel that can carry fire directly to the structure.

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California’s Zone 0 Regulations

On August 19, 2026, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection approved the final draft of statewide Zone 0 regulations. The regulations will apply to properties in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within Local Responsibility Areas.

As of September 6, 2026, the regulations are not yet in effect statewide. They must complete final administrative review and be filed with the Secretary of State. New construction will comply once the regulations take effect. Existing homes will receive three to five years to complete different phases of the work.

Some cities and counties already have local Zone 0 rules. Homeowners should check with their local fire department or jurisdiction for current requirements.

What You Can Do Now

You do not need to wait for the regulations to take effect. Start by walking around your home and asking: If embers landed here today, what could catch fire?

  • Replace bark, wood chips, and combustible mulch with gravel, pavers, concrete, or decomposed granite.
  • Remove dead plants, weeds, leaves, pine needles, and branches.
  • Keep roofs, gutters, decks, porches, and areas under decks clean.
  • Move firewood and lumber away from the home.
  • Limit combustible furniture, planters, doormats, and decorations near walls or on decks.
  • Replace the portion of a wooden fence or gate attached to the home with a noncombustible material, such as metal.
  • Move garbage cans, recycling containers, boats, RVs, and other combustible items away from the structure when possible.
  • Keep branches at least 10 feet from chimneys and remove branches over roofs or beneath eaves.

Zone 0 works best when combined with home-hardening improvements such as ember-resistant vents, clean metal gutters, ignition-resistant siding, and multi-pane windows.

Does Zone 0 Mean No Plants?

Not necessarily. The approved regulations create a vegetation-free safety area immediately next to the home, under eaves, near windows, doors, vents, and attached decks.

Outside those areas, some properly maintained plants may be allowed within Zone 0. Examples include small flowers, succulents, maintained groundcover or lawn, and movable plants in noncombustible pots. Dead vegetation, wood mulch, wood chips, firewood, and accumulated leaves should be removed.

Local agencies may adopt stronger or alternative standards, so check locally before changing or installing landscaping.

Zone 0 and Home Insurance

The California Department of Insurance includes a five-foot ember-resistant zone among the wildfire-safety actions that may qualify a homeowner for an insurance discount. Take before-and-after photographs of completed work and ask your insurance company what documentation it requires.

Creating Zone 0 does not guarantee that a home will survive a wildfire, but it removes many of the fuels that allow embers to start a fire next to the structure. It is one of the simplest and most effective places to begin protecting your home.

Learn More

This article provides general wildfire-preparedness information. Requirements and implementation dates may change as the statewide rulemaking process is completed.