California has approved new wildfire-safety landscaping requirements for homes in designated high-fire-hazard areas. The new “Zone Zero” rules focus on the first five feet around a home, requiring combustible materials such as firewood, fallen leaves and wood mulch to be removed. The area immediately adjacent to the home will generally need to be free of vegetation, while small, well-spaced plants may be permitted farther out within the five-foot zone.
Existing homeowners will have several years to comply, with the requirements being phased in over five years. Local governments will also have some flexibility in how the rules are implemented.