For nearly two years, Californians have debated what belongs—and what doesn’t belong—within the first five feet surrounding our homes.

That area is known as Zone 0, and while it may seem small, decades of wildfire research have shown that it is one of the most important spaces in determining whether a home survives a wildfire.

Now, after extensive public input, scientific review, and countless conversations with homeowners, firefighters, researchers, and local governments, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection is moving toward final adoption of the Zone 0 regulations. The latest draft reflects significant changes made in response to public comments and recognizes that practical implementation matters just as much as good science. (⁠Board of Forestry and Fire Protection)

At MySafe:LA, we’ve been deeply engaged throughout this process.

Earlier this year, we submitted a letter to the Board of Forestry supported by hundreds of signatures and personal stories from Southern California residents. Many came from families devastated by the January wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Others came from homeowners whose houses survived—even while neighboring homes burned—because they had thoughtfully managed vegetation and combustible materials immediately surrounding their homes.

Every story mattered.

Every perspective helped shape the conversation.

This Is About More Than New Construction

One of the most important aspects of the proposed regulations is that they recognize the realities facing existing homeowners.

New homes—including those now being rebuilt following the January fires in Los Angeles—will be expected to comply with the new Zone 0 standards as they are constructed.

Existing homes, however, are expected to have a transition period of up to three years, allowing homeowners time to evaluate their properties, understand the new requirements, and make thoughtful decisions that balance safety, cost, aesthetics, accessibility, and environmental concerns. (⁠San Francisco Chronicle)

That distinction is important. Wildfire resilience is not achieved overnight. It’s built over time.

Local Communities Can Now Build on State Standards

Finalizing the Zone 0 regulations creates another important opportunity.

Local jurisdictions will have a stronger regulatory foundation for incorporating Zone 0 into their own wildfire mitigation programs. Here in Los Angeles, that means the City and County Fire Departments will have additional tools to integrate these concepts into their existing brush clearance and defensible space requirements.

The same science is also helping shape the next generation of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) currently being developed for both the City and County of Los Angeles—documents intended to guide wildfire resilience for years to come.

This is how meaningful change happens. State policy informs local implementation. Local implementation protects neighborhoods.

But Let’s Ask the Simpler Question

Sometimes regulations become the entire conversation. They shouldn’t be. Instead, ask yourself one simple question:

Do you want your home to burn in a wildfire?

It’s a binary question. Yes. Or no. If your answer is “no,” then the conversation becomes much easier.

What practical steps can you take today to reduce the chance that embers, radiant heat, or direct flame ignite your home?

Zone 0 is one of those steps. But it is only one step.

Home Hardening Matters Just as Much

Too often, people think Zone 0 is the entire solution. It isn’t. Wildfire resilience is built through layers of protection.

A home with an ember-resistant roof, screened vents, tempered glass windows, ignition-resistant fencing, and other home hardening improvements has a dramatically better chance of surviving a wildfire than one relying on vegetation management alone.

Likewise, defensible space beyond the first five feet remains essential for slowing fire spread and providing firefighters with safer operating conditions. No single action guarantees survival. Together, however, these measures create meaningful resilience.

Education Will Always Be More Important Than Enforcement

At MySafe:LA, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), CAL FIRE, the Los Angeles Fire Department, elected officials, community organizations, and thousands of residents committed to making California safer.

Our recent Wildfire Fair at the Autry Museum brought together experts from the NFPA, the California Department of Insurance, and many others to discuss wildfire preparedness—including the importance of Zone 0.

More recently, our REBUILD:LA podcast featured California State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant, who shared valuable insight into wildfire resilience, rebuilding, and the future of community safety. These conversations matter because wildfire preparedness is not about checking a regulatory box. It’s about protecting families. It’s about protecting communities. And ultimately, it’s about giving homes their best possible chance to survive.

If you would like to learn more about Zone 0, home hardening, and defensible space, visit www.WildfireLA.org.

Knowledge is the first step toward resilience. The next step is yours.