Event Brief
UPDATED Aug 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET
Aug 19, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET
New “Zone Zero” landscaping rules for fire zones
By The BriefBrief
California has approved sweeping “Zone Zero” landscaping rules for fire-prone areas, limiting what homeowners can place near structures. The rules ban plants and most combustible items within 5 feet of homes, where experts say embers are most likely to ignite properties. Existing homeowners in high-hazard zones will have time to comply.
WHO: California regulators and homeowners in designated high-hazard, fire-prone zones
WHAT: Approved “Zone Zero” landscaping rules restricting plants and combustible materials within 5 feet of homes
WHEN: Aug 20, 2026 at 2:22 PM ET
WHERE: California
WHY: The rules are intended to reduce ignition risk from embers in the 5-foot area most vulnerable to ignition.
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