Zone Zero Landscaping in Los Angeles
What must leave the first five feet
Phase 1 is the cleanup phase: no construction required. It covers the material most likely to catch an ember and hold a flame against your house.
Combustible mulch
Bark, wood chips, shredded redwood, rubber mulch: all of it out of the 0–5 ft zone. Embers land in mulch beds first.
Dead & dying vegetation
Dry leaves, dead shrubs, palm litter, and anything brown against the foundation, under decks, or in gutters at ground level.
Plants against the structure
Shrubs and climbers touching walls, windows, or eaves act as ladders that carry ground fire to the roofline. Expect the final regulations to restrict them sharply.
What can stay in Zone 0, and what to replace it with
Zone Zero doesn't mean a moonscape. It means the first five feet work for your house instead of against it.
Hardscape
Stone, pavers, gravel, decomposed granite, and concrete are the gold standard: noncombustible, low maintenance, and they read as intentional design.
Low-fuel, irrigated plantings
The final regulations are expected to allow limited, well-maintained, irrigated plantings with low fuel loads. Think sparse succulents, not foundation hedges.
Noncombustible planters
Metal, ceramic, and masonry planters keep greenery near the house without creating a continuous fuel bed.
Licensed help: C-27
Landscape conversion is C-27 licensed contractor work. Our referral network is CSLB-verified, and the assessment costs nothing.
Landscaping questions, answered
Do I have to remove every plant within five feet?
Not necessarily. The April 2026 draft points toward allowing limited, irrigated, low-fuel plantings that are well maintained. Continuous beds, foundation shrubs, and anything dead or touching the structure are what must go.
Is gravel or decomposed granite compliant?
Yes. Noncombustible ground cover (gravel, DG, pavers, stone, concrete) is the safest and simplest Zone Zero surface.
When do I actually have to do this?
Phase 1 for existing homes is estimated at 2027–2028, three years after adoption of the final regulations, which is expected late 2026. New construction must comply immediately upon adoption.
Who does this kind of work?
C-27 licensed landscape contractors handle Zone Zero conversions: removal, hardscape, irrigation changes, and replanting. Beware of unlicensed cleanup crews doing structural changes.
Turn the first five feet into an asset
A CSLB-licensed C-27 landscape contractor can walk your property line and price the conversion. The assessment is 100% free.