Why the first five feet win or lose
CAL FIRE calls Zone 0 — the first five feet around a structure — the most important defensible-space zone, because wind-blown embers, not a wall of flame, ignite most homes in wildfires. An ember landing in dry mulch, leaves, or a woody shrub against the house can be enough to start the loss.
The guidance for Zone 0 is strict: use noncombustible materials like gravel, pavers, or concrete; remove dead vegetation and debris from roofs, gutters, and decks; avoid combustible bark mulch; and keep any plants here low, green, and sparse.
A regulation taking shape
California has moved to formalize Zone 0. Under a 2025 executive order, the state Board of Forestry was directed to complete Zone 0 rulemaking, tightening standards for the ember-resistant zone — a sign of how central this area is to home survival.
Because Zone 0 is about hardscape and near-zero vegetation, it’s the one place goats aren’t the answer. Their work happens farther out, where there’s brush and fuel to remove.