UC Master Gardeners of San Diego County
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Working With California’s New ‘Zone Zero’ Home Fire Safety Perimeter

  • May 14, 2026
  • By Susan Pransky
A wooden structure engulfed in intense orange flames, with charred beams and a roof that is about to collapse visible.
Zone zero regulations are intended to reduce the impact of wildfires on business and residential structures. Credit: Dave Hoefler, Unsplash

This article originally appeared in the May 9, 2026 edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Did you know that an exceptionally large percentage of home ignitions during wildfires are caused by embers landing near a structure? And that these flying embers can come from a fire that is a mile or more away? “Zone Zero” is the 0 to 5-foot area immediately surrounding a home or building. The goal of “Zone Zero” is to create a perimeter with zero combustible material so that embers cannot ignite small fires that eventually reach your home.

In San Diego, Zone Zero requirements went into effect on Feb. 15, 2026, for all new building permits. Requirements for existing homes vary by location, with many major cities setting a compliance deadline of February 2027. However, compliance deadlines are somewhat irrelevant. The rules have already effectively started to be enforced by our home insurance companies, even in areas that are considered very low risk for wild fire. Threats of refusal to renew our home insurance policies without compliance to Zone Zero regulations make this issue immediately important to virtually all of us.

What do we do?

We must create an ember-resistant buffer within the first five feet of our home.

What does this mean?

  • No flammable materials: Wood mulch, bark, and combustible vegetation such as grass or shrubs are prohibited within the 5-foot perimeter. It is also recommended to keep the area clear of overhanging tree branches, stored vehicles, and any combustible items including patio furniture.
  • Structural changes: Any fences or gates attached directly to the house much be made of noncombustible materials such as metal instead of wood for at least the first five feet.
  • Maintenance: Roofs and gutters must be kept clear of leaves, needles, and other debris that could be ignited by wind-blown embers.
A wildfire rages on a mountainside at night, with flames illuminating the smoke and sky in vibrant oranges and reds, overlooking a dark treeline at the edge of a body of water.
Many homes burn due to embers that travel as far as 1 mile away o more. Credit: Mike Newbry, Unsplash

To avoid getting overwhelmed and make all this a little easier, the University of California has prepared a list of quick fixes that are relatively inexpensive and that we might even be able to do ourselves. A few things they suggest doing immediately in the area veryclose to your house include:

  • Remove older, larger or dying plants. Vigorous, smaller and leggy plants are preferable.
  • Get rid of dead branches and dead material under the plants, and make sure they are watered regularly.
  • Minimize plants under windows, near decks, or at inside corners of your house.

Zone 0 is an excellent location for walkways or hardscaping with pavers, rock mulch, or pea gravel. If you are not ready to remove all vegetation, the safest approach is low-growing succulents either in ceramic or stone pots (not plastic) or widely placed in gravel mulch. Topchoices include Sedum/Stonecrop and Sempervivum/Hens-and-Chicks.

There are no “fire-proof” plants. Fire resistant plants take longer to ignite. Native or drought tolerant plants are not necessarily fire-resistant. Plants are less likely to catch fire if they are properly irrigated, pruned to remove all dead material, and free of fallen leaves, needles and twigs. Particularly fire-prone plants include eucalyptus, acacia, evergreens with fine needles, pampas grass and palms.

A few other ‘quick fixes’

The following are recommended by the University of California:

  • Cut tree branches that are close to the roof, or remove entire trees if necessary.
  • Remove large bushes that are under trees.
  • Minimize the use (depth and area) of landscaping bark and mulch.
  • Do not store firewood and other burnable items in this zone.
  • Keep roof and gutters clear and remove overhanging branches from nearby trees.

“Home hardening” is a term you may come across when reading about protecting your home from wildfires. Home hardening includes structural changes such as replacing wood shingle roofs with roofing that is less flammable, such as tile.

Siding is one of the items that would come under “home hardening.” If your house has siding, there’s good news and bad news. First, the bad news: Most siding is combustible, other than stucco or cement. Now, the good news: The risk posed by combustible siding may be reduced by having no combustible items at the base (such as plants, decks, etc) and having a noncombustible material separating the siding by 6 to 12 inches from combustibles at the base.

It’s also important to think about access. In order to protect your home, firefighters need to be able to reach your home with their equipment and need adequate space to work in.

That’s a lot to think about. It’s tempting to consider these tasks just another burden that we don’t have time for. But reading about the many people still displaced over a year ago by the L.A. fires makes it clear that this is something we need to do to avoid a similar fate. Each step we take increases a home’s chance of survival. Perhaps, like I have, you’ve heard stories about one house that survived unscathed while all the others around it burned to the ground. Wouldn’t you like that house to be yours?

Susan Pransky has gardened in San Diego for more than 30 years and has been a UC Master Gardener since 2012.

More resources:

3 zones around a house with recommended ground cover for each zone: Zone 0 (0-5 ft) has concrete, gravel, and pavers; Zone 1 (5-30 ft) with wood chips and bark; and Zone 2 (30-100+ ft) has wood chips, bark, pine needles, and rubber.
Helpful infographic about mulch in Zones 0, 1 and 2. Credit: UC ANR Fire Network

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