Pali Builds Newsletter, October 2026

Zone 0: what IBHS requires vs. what California requires

Did you know that IBHS’s Zone O is different than the States new Zone O law, or what LADBS requires?  I didn’t.

The first 5 feet around your home now has two sets of rules: the IBHS standard many insurers look for, and California’s new Zone 0 rule for high fire zones, including the Palisades. They don’t agree on plants, trees or fences. Here’s what each one says.

Why the first 5 feet matter

Wind-blown embers hit the side of a house and drop to the base of the wall. If they land in mulch, dry leaves, a shrub or a wood fence, they start a small fire right against the siding, and from there fire can get into the wall, under the eaves or through a window. Zone 0 is about making sure there’s nothing at the base of the house for those embers to catch.

Both standards below are trying to solve that problem. They just draw the line in different places.

IBHS’s Zone 0

This is the 0–5 ft zone for the Wildfire Prepared Home designation at the Essential level, from the December 2025 technical standard. The rule is simple: the first 5 feet must be completely noncombustible.

• PlantsNone. Grass, weeds, flowers, succulents, cacti and shrubs all go, down to bare soil, even if they’re irrigated or sold as “fire-resistant.”
• TreesNo trees, limbs, branches or vines in the zone or hanging over it. The zone extends straight up to the sky.
• MulchNone. No wood or rubber mulch, artificial turf or exposed weed cloth.
• HardscapeBare dirt, gravel, pavers, river rock, decomposed granite, steppingstones or concrete.
• Fences & gatesWood and vinyl fencing, posts and gates within 5 ft must be removed or replaced with noncombustible material.
• Retaining wallsCombustible retaining walls within 5 ft must go too.
• Potted plantsOnly on decks: up to 10, in clay or other noncombustible pots, no more than 36 in. tall or wide.
• Measured fromThe exterior walls and the outer posts of any combustible deck or pergola. The area under elevated decks counts too.

California’s Zone 0

The state Board of Forestry’s rule applies to Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, including LA’s. Instead of clearing all 5 feet, it requires a noncombustible “safety zone” right at the walls and allows low, maintained plants beyond it.

• Safety zoneNothing combustible under the eaves (or within 1 ft of the walls where there’s no eave), within 2 ft of windows, doors, vents and posts, or within 5 ft of attached decks and stairs, including underneath them.
• PlantsBeyond the safety zone: well-maintained, non-woody plants up to 18 in. tall, in groupings of up to 1 sq ft, spaced 1.5 times their height apart. Potted plants up to 18 in., in noncombustible pots of 5 gallons or less.
• LawnAllowed beyond the safety zone, mowed to 3 in. or less.
• TreesExisting trees can stay if maintained: no dead wood, no branches under the eaves, branches 5 ft above the roof and 10 ft from the chimney. No new trees in Zone 0.
• Mulch & hardscapeNo bark, wood chips or rubber mulch. Gravel, decomposed granite, pavers and stone are all fine, and weed cloth under rock is allowed.
• Fences & gatesA fence or gate attached to the house needs a 5-ft noncombustible span where it meets the house. No new combustible fencing in the zone. Existing fences can stay and be repaired with the same material.

Side by side

Rebuilding? LADBS already requires more

The state Zone 0 rule above covers upkeep around existing homes and isn’t in effect yet. If you’re pulling a permit in a High or Very High fire zone in the City of LA, the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code already applies. It took effect January 1, 2026, and LADBS checks your landscaping at plan check.

• Landscape planShow the 30-ft fuel management zone, every existing and proposed plant with a plant legend, irrigated areas, and the ground cover within 30 ft.
• ShrubsNo taller than 6 ft or wider than 10 ft, at least 15 ft apart and 30 ft from the house. New plants must meet the code’s fire-smart criteria.
• TreesNew trees must stay 10 ft from the house at maturity, with 10 ft between crowns. Existing trees need 10 ft of clearance from the chimney.
• Base of the wallAt least 6 in. of metal flashing or noncombustible material where exterior walls meet the ground and decks.
• Setbacks & fencesVery High zones require a 30-ft setback from property lines and the center of the road. On most Palisades lots that isn’t possible, so LADBS accepts alternatives such as noncombustible block walls or fences, noncombustible material 5 ft out from the house, hardscape landscaping, or fewer windows on the close side.

Which one should you build to?

State law keeps you legal. IBHS keeps you insurable. The state’s own guidance notes that some insurers now require the IBHS Essential designation, and that IBHS is more restrictive on trees and vegetation in Zone 0.

The good news is that the stricter standard covers the other one. If the first 5 feet around your home meets IBHS Essential, it also meets California’s Zone 0. Beyond 5 feet, permitted projects also have to meet LADBS’s shrub and tree spacing, which is stricter than IBHS. If you’re rebuilding, design the hardscape, fence returns and planting beds to IBHS from the start. It’s much cheaper than tearing out new landscaping later.

Pali Builds is putting together a directory of local subcontractors certified to build to the IBHS standard, including landscaping, hardscaping and fencing. Watch palibuilds.com for the launch.

Sources: IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Technical Standard (December 2025); California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, Guidance for Establishing and Maintaining Defensible Space for Zones 0–2 (adopted August 19, 2026); LADBS Fire Hazard Severity Zone Supplemental Checklist, PC/STR/Corr.Lst.116 (revised March 27, 2026). This is a summary, not legal advice. Check the current rules for your property with your local fire agency. Wildfire Prepared Home is a trademark of IBHS.