Meet The Men Behind Zone 0

Who they are, what they want, and why Los Angeles should care.

At a glance

• The messengers: Two Marine Corps veterans that use military strategy to build plans and products for the insurance and development industry, Dave Winnacker (retired fire chief) and Donnie Hasseltine (cybersecurity exec).

• Their pitch: Treat neighborhoods like military “defense-in-depth” perimeters; enforce Zone 0 (remove anything that burns within 5 feet of homes, including wood fences); use insurance price signals and regulation to drive near-universal compliance.

• Why it’s a problem in LA: On lots where homes are just 5–10 feet apart, Zone 0 shifts risk onto neighbors, strips shade and moisture that cool our streets, and funnels residents into a permanent compliance economy (inspections, data sharing, penalties) while underplaying the biggest life-safety gains—distance between buildings and fence attachments.

The State of California is rolling out a strict mandate at the end of this year that will force us to rip out the gardens around our homes in the high fire severity zones. Remove almost every plant within 5 feet of homes or any structure in the yard. They call it Zone 0 — the latest wildfire “solution.” This mandate goes far beyond the traditional 100-foot defensible space brush clearance law and noncompliance can result in stiff fines and property liens.

What’s Being Formulated Under AB 3074 (New Statewide Mandate) is Defensible Space Overkill and Over Reach. If adopted, these new statewide rules will eliminate the long-standing flexibility homeowners have had to responsibly manage their own yards—especially in dense urban neighborhoods.

Under the draft rules:

• No landscaping materials will be allowed within 0 to 5 feet of any structure (including homes, decks, or adjacent homes or structures on your or your neighbor’s property). This includes, but is not limited to:

  ➤ Grass, shrubs or trees, groundcovers, fallen leaves, live tree or shrub branches, wood chip mulch

  ➤ Potted plants are allowed under 18 inches tall, placed in non-combustible pots no larger than 5 gallons, at least 1.5 times the height of the plant or 12 inches apart, whichever is greater, must not be located beneath, above, or adjacent to any window, glass door, or vent, and must be maintained in a moveable container free of dead or dying material

  ➤ Single specimen trees may be allowed—if their canopy is at least 5 feet above the adjacent roof and 5 feet from sides of adjacent structure and 10 feet from chimneys or stovepipe outlets. They are pruned and maintained according to guidelines that are often horticulturally and structurally unsound

  ➤ No privacy hedges or groupings of any plants including small ground cover patches. No decorative wooden window boxes or trellises, and no combustible fencing.

Why This Matters. For homeowners on small lots in dense neighborhoods, this likely means no landscaping at all—making Zone 0 effectively a no-landscape zone. The policy will make it easier for insurance providers to deny claims and you could be subjected to stiff penalties, including fines, property liens and forced clearance by unskilled City contractors and have to pay that bill.

1. Shade & Cooling: Removing plants increases surface temps and cooling costs.

2. Habitat: Urban wildlife—including birds and pollinators—depend on these green spaces.

3. Cultural Value: Gardens are part of how Angelenos build identity and community.

4. Privacy & Security: Most LA homes are just feet apart. Vegetation provides cover.

Why Zone 0 Doesn’t Make Sense. Research shows the structures are the fire’s fuel once the fire enters the urban environment — not landscape plants, especially if those plants are oaks trees or well-hydrated and well-maintained. Over-clearance can cause erosion, raise temperatures, reduce privacy, and ironically make homes less safe from a fire.

1. Fire Risk in Cities Comes from Nearby Structures, Not Plants

• Source: Maranghides (NIST)
  In dense communities, fire spreads building to building, not from a shrub or tree or grass (aka vegetation) to a home.
  ➤ “You can remove vegetation from Zone 0 and still lose your house if your neighbor ignites.”

  ➤ If you move a feature out of your Zone 0, you may be moving it closer to your neighbor’s home. This shifts risk—it doesn’t remove it.

2. Vegetation Is Not the Primary Risk

• Source: Gollner (UC Berkeley)
  In a study of 47,000+ structures across 5 fires:

  ➤ Most important risk factor: the space between houses

  ➤ Vegetation played only a minor role, especially in urban fires.

  ➤ Zone 0 removal showed limited benefits unless applied city-wide.

3. Moist Shady Landscapes May Help, Not Hurt

• Source: Escobedo et al.
  ➤ No link found between well-maintained vegetation near homes and structure loss.
  ➤ Healthy, hydrated landscapes increase structure survivability, may slow fire spread, cool surfaces, and retain moisture.