Almanac note · Outdoors
The first five feet around the house matter a lot in wildfire country
CAL FIRE calls the first five feet around buildings Zone 0, and it is where ember-resistant work starts.
When people hear defensible space, they often picture the whole yard. CAL FIRE starts even closer: the first five feet around the home, decks, and attached structures. That area is called Zone 0.
Start with the small things close to the house. Look for dry leaves in gutters, bark mulch against the wall, wood piles, furniture cushions, and debris under a deck. The closest few feet are small, but they can matter a lot.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed June 29, 2026
California Porch explains the path. The official source is still the place to confirm the current rule, fee, form, map, deadline, or office decision.
Use the official page before you spend money, file paperwork, rely on a deadline, or change a property.
Related notes
Keep following this thread.
These are picked from nearby places, shared tags, and the same California topic shelf.
CAL FIRE's 100-foot defensible-space guidance stops at the property line
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