About

What Is Zone 0 — and Why It Matters

Zone 0 refers to the first five feet around structures — a space the California Board of Forestry seeks to regulate as a “noncombustible zone.” The intent is to reduce ignition risk from embers. The problem? The rule ignores decades of fire science, regional variability, and the ecological importance of small-scale green spaces.

The Zone 0 Report was created to bridge that gap between policy and reality. We synthesize research, law, and on-the-ground experience to help homeowners, policymakers, and journalists understand what’s really at stake.

Who We Are
We’re horticulturists, ecologists, and residents of fire-prone California communities who believe in defensible, not desolate landscapes.
We are independent — unaffiliated with insurance, industry, or government. Our goal is to make Zone 0 science accessible, verifiable, and humane. Zone 0 Watchdog is a citizen-driven oversight group dedicated to exposing misinformation, hidden interests, and ecological harm in California’s wildfire policy—particularly the state’s “Zone 0” defensible-space mandate.

We monitor legislation, regulatory rulemaking, and industry influence to ensure that fire policy is grounded in science, transparency, and environmental integrity—not fear or profit.

Our mission is simple: Protect homes, habitats, and truth.

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