As early as January, forest fires in the Los Angeles region distributed themselves in California. The effects were devastating and extensive – thousands of houses and structures were destroyed and many lives were tragically lost. In response to this, formal regulations are developed by the Board of Directors for Forestry and Fire Protection, which are also known as zone 0. These rules are expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Zone 0 refers to an area that measures five feet to the outside of the scope of the house (including a connected wooden deck). In order to prevent forest fires from spreading and lit, it is expected that impending rules in certain areas of the state prohibit combatable objects in these rooms.
In order to adhere to this type of firescaping, many residents in California will have to rethink the garden layouts and design in the coming months and years, as well as landscape designers and real estate developers. I turned to experts in this area, including landscape designers based in California, to obtain further knowledge.
What are the key zone 0 regulations?
The Palisades fire over 20,000 acres in January 2025
(Photo credit: Kit Karen / Alamy Live News / Alamy Stock Photo)
Objects that are no longer permitted within zone 0 ranges from in-floor plants, dead or dying plant materials and types of organic mulch (wood chips) to other flammable backyard features such as grids and dandruffs.
Flammable fences and gates located at the house are probably a no-go.
Some potted plants can be permitted in zone 0 (up to a certain amount), but factors such as material, size, maintenance, mobility and precise position of the containers determine what can remain.
With this in mind, it can be easier to keep the area of container garden work for backyards that have to follow.
Large, established trees can be permitted in zone 0 in the final regulations; As with potted plants, however, certain provisions are expected.
These should indicate how far branches can go out of houses and also the need to remove the dead or dying branches, which means that hard -working circumcision is in order. Similar to the regulations on mulch, fallen leaves may also have to be removed from the area.
How will the landscape design change to meet the new regulations?
Many homeowners have to rethink their garden layouts to meet the rules of the new zone 0
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“The new zone 0 regulations will cause the Californians to think differently about how we design the room right next to our houses,” says Harry Statter, founder and CEO at Frontline Wildfire Defense.
'Historically, this area was treated like a background to decorate with bushes, mulch and fences. But dry vegetation, wooden mulch and combustible materials near the house can easily ignite from wind -blistered embers – and this embers are the most common cause of the loss of forest fires at home.
“We now know from both research and first-hand experience during large fires that this five-foot circumference is one of the most of the zones on a property that occurs most.
'Zone 0 frame this immediate place in the house not only as a landscape design, but as a critical part of the defense system of a house. This requires a new design -by purely decorative to targeted and protective, «continues Harry.
'The regulations will influence everything from which materials we use, how we forgive ourselves and maintain vegetation. This is an exciting opportunity for designers to pione a new California aesthetics. And over time, this shift not only changes individual properties, but will be more resilient in view of the fire. '
Harry is a wildfire and technologist and for more than two decades at the head of the forest fire efforts. He is also the founder of Frontline Wildfire Defense, which offers digitally networked external sprinkler systems to protect houses and companies from forest fires as well as a free mobile app with live forest fire tracking and evacuation notifications.
Xeriscaping that uses stones and gravel can be able to maintain a complementary courtyard of zone 0.
(Photo credit: Dee Carpenter Photography / Istock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images)
Sacha McCrae, founder of the Living Garden Landscape Design based in California, says that they will record their customers in high fire zones about the new zone 0 regulations and the changes (e.g. the lack of plants within the area).
They also share the link of the local calf website with them and explain that non-flammable materials take the lead when creating beautiful, resilient rooms. This can mean designing fencing and terrace covers that are made of metal rather than wood – “aluminum and steel are great options, albeit more expensive.”
Dotan Trabulsi, a Californian B-licensed general entrepreneur and owner of optimal house conversion and design in San Diego, highlights the concept of a “hardscape-helo”, whereby wood fences, mulch and decks are exchanged for granite, disturbed granite or stone for gravel, disassembled granite, pever or stone.
“I frame the 5-foot water ditch with weak stone bands or contrasting plant masses, so that the security zone is deliberately and not barren,” he adds.
According to Laura Osteen, landscape designer and licensed landscape entrepreneur for secret garden landscapes, designers should consider how plants are from the house.
“For example, in a front yard, the area right next to the house is not really so important when people see what is layered at the front,” she says. She also notices how an important element of firescaping is properly maintained and healthy.
Harry underlines this point: “Even the best planned landscapes can be driven if they are not maintained. The leaves are stacked, the branches die back and weeds crept in. Therefore, Good Zone 0 Design is part of the plan. '
Top tip: Harry points out how xeriscaping is naturally aligned with the fire smart design, and determines how it is based on materials such as stone to create low-maintenance rooms that keep up with drought and fire. “Xeriscaping also emphasizes drought -tolerant plants and reduced lawns, which means less water, less maintenance and less quickly burned fuels,” he adds.
Sacha McCrae is the founder and designer at Living Gardens Landscape Design, a boutique Orange County, California, Garden Design Company. Living gardens creates inviting rooms outdoors, which are beautiful and functional and contain natural materials and lush, drought -tolerant plant palettes.
Laura Osten is an award -winning landscape designer and licensed landscape entrepreneur who grew up in the San Francisco East Bay, where she developed a lifelong connection to the natural world. With decades of experience and a multidisciplinary background, she leads secret landscapes to create sustainable, beautiful and functional outdoor areas that are tailored to the lifestyle of every customer and the unique rhythms of the Mediterranean climate of California.
Faqs
Which areas have to comply with the new zone 0 regulations?
It is expected that structures within the state responsibility and the level of severity of the very high risk of fire in the local areas of responsibility are obliged to comply with the new regulations. If you are not sure, you can inquire with your local fire brigade whether the changes affect you. While it is expected that the rules will apply immediately after the new constructions have been completed, existing structures are expected to have a grace of three years available in order to make the necessary changes.
Which plants are better suited for areas with a high risk of fire?
For areas that are at risk of fire, you should consider fire -resistant plant decisions for areas outside of zone 0. “There is no fire -proof work, but some are far more dangerous than others,” says Harry.
“Dense, oily, resinous or quickly drying species (such as juniper, Italian cypresses or feather grass) are common near houses, but they burn quickly and intensely.” Instead, he recommends choosing low -growing, openly structured plants that keep moisture well and contain less fire fuel. 'Local species like Manzanita, Ceanothus [you can find a range at Nature Hills]And certain oaks offer beauty, habitat and resilience.
“What counts the most is not just the way, but how and where plants are placed,” he continues. “Avoid that the combustible plants are picked up near structures or each other. Leave enough space to maintain and water every group. The goal is not to eliminate plants – but to design with fire behavior, whereby native ecology is used as a guide. '
“Zone 0 is not an independent solution,” says Harry. 'It works best as a layer in a comprehensive forest fire system. This includes house hardening upgrades such as ember-resistant ventilation slots and non-flammable roofs as well as active protection such as the outer fire sprinkler from Frontline. When these layers work together, buy time. They slow down the fire, reduce the glossy and increase the chances that a home will survive.
“This shift is not just about compliance,” added Harry. “It is about giving home owners more self -confidence and more soul peace, given the forest fire processes of nature.”
Don't just forget the inside of your house in your back yard in your back yard. In our guideline for common fire risks, eight things are listed that you have to pay attention to.