‘Zone Zero’ is the latest tool in California’s kit to help mitigate fire risk in the state. The new regulation applies to anyone with a home in a high fire zone, and bans any kind of plant, even well hydrated ones, within a foot of a house. No hedges. No rose bushes. No ivy clinging to the walls. Nada. And homeowners can’t have anything that can catch fire – like fire wood or leaves or a flammable gate – within five feet of a home. Homeowners have five years to comply with these new regulations, but not everyone wants to. While there is research that says such policies could prevent a home from catching fire, there are plenty of skeptics who are not convinced it’ll work. Plus, major changes to people’s yards can be costly and, so far, there are no state plans to helps homeowners pay for this. Host Kate Cagle digs into what people like — and what they don’t —  about these new rules with Noah Haggerty, who covers wildfires for LA Times. 

GUEST: Noah Haggerty, Environment Reporter for the Los Angeles Times 

California’s High Fire Severity Zones: https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/community-wildfire-preparedness-and-mitigation/fire-hazard-severity-zones 

How Zone Zero, designed to protect California homes from wildfire, became plagued with controversy and delays: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-11-03/how-zone-zero-became-plagued-with-controversy-and-delays   

Early adopters of ‘zone zero’ fared better in L.A. County fires, insurance-backed investigation finds: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-12-10/zone-zero-early-adopters-fared-better-in-la-county-fires-report-finds.  

Newsom signs first-in-nation standards for homes damaged by wildfire smoke: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2026-09-15/newsom-signs-first-in-u-s-standards-for-homes-damaged-by-wildfire-smoke