State delays Zone Zero rules; public hearing set for April 23
California's Board of Forestry has paused the controversial defensible-space rule requiring clearing within five feet of homes.
Zone Zero is the controversial state law that requires homeowners in very high fire risk areas to remove all shrubs and plants from within five feet of their homes.
The law is already in effect, but there has been an uproar over its requirements to butcher existing landscaping, in the opinion of many. But fire experts say eliminating sources of ignition right up against houses is really, really important.
The California Board of Forestry has put off implementing Zone Zero. The state's Regulatory Advisory Committee has scheduled a meeting in two weeks to listen to the public and share updates on its work.
They call it advancing wildfire resilience, but opponents call it sacrificing bird habitat, killing natural cooling, and counterproductive across California.
The latest Zone Zero proposals will be coming out this month. The meeting will be Thursday, April 23, from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Calabasas Community Center.