Should you have trees or potted plants next to your house in a fire -hailized area? That is the kind of question that California board for forestry and fire protection Find out.
The devastation of the forest fires in January led to A renewed pressure For advanced ember-resistant zones around certain properties that were first approved under From 3074 In 2020, the incoming regulations also influence the existing properties across the board.
That of the board Consulting committee Zone Zero started last week with public workshops in which the residents can give inputs. You should know the following to get involved.
What could cover the regulations
The establishment of a “zone zero” has been a recommended practice for fire protection prevention for some time, but the regulations that would make it a requirement have not yet been available.
The idea is that by creating a 5-foot area of ”Defender area“Houses have a better chance of not burning because the embers catch fire less. After Insurance Institute for Economics and Home SecurityProperties with this release survive forest fires With almost twice as high as the rate of them without it.
A working group was Keep out the details Of what is in this 5-foot zone and what should not. So far, they recommend admitting:
- Rocks, paving stones, statues, basics and cement.
- Mature trees (as long as twigs are 10 feet above the roof and chimney).
- Parallel fences (for existing properties).
- Irrigated and mapped grass (up to 3 inches).
- Irrigated, non -wooden plants (ground cover and plants would have height restrictions).
- Potted plants up to 2 feet high in non -compliant pots (e.g. ceramics, metal and cement).
And here is what may not be allowed:
- Synthetic lawns.
- Flammable decorative structures (e.g. grid, data protection walls and more).
- Flammable fences or gates.
- Some storage structures.
- Some landscape materials (e.g. wooden mulch, wood or petroleum basis that are normally used in garden beds).
- Potted plants (including wine barrels, wood pots and plastic).
As soon as the rules of Zone Zero have been completed in the course of this year, it applies to all properties as part of the responsibility of the state and for locally controlled areas that have been identified A very high risk of fire. Real estate owners have for existing buildings Three years to stick to it with the changes that have been implemented once.
You can check The status card here To determine whether your property is in the area of responsibility. The map for fire hazards in Los Angeles County is currently being revised and should be Published here in phase 4 of the update from March 24th.
How you can share feedback
The committee is expected to have a draft of the regulations by March 21. The next chance to take part in the meetings will take place on April 7 and May 16.
The meetings take place personally in the California Natural Resources Agency in Sacramento. But don't worry – there is also a virtual option.
Officials recommend that you subscribe to the board list of the board to receive the meeting information when you get out, and RSVP when you join. You can also send comments to Publiccommentments@boof.ca.gov.