Zone 0 is the first five feet around a building, and California's new rule requires that band to be free of things that burn. Bark, wood chips and other combustible mulch are prohibited there. Gravel, rock, pavers, concrete and bare soil are the materials that comply. We sell the compliant materials, and we also sell bark mulch, so this guide is written to tell you plainly where each one belongs.
Status, as of September 2026: the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection approved the final Zone 0 rule 8 to 0 on 19 August 2026. It is not law yet. The package goes to the Office of Administrative Law, with a five day public comment window, and then filing with the Secretary of State. There is no statewide effective date. Check with your county or local fire authority before assuming a deadline applies to you.
Why the first five feet matter
Most homes lost in a wildfire are not destroyed by a wall of flame arriving at the property line. They are ignited by wind-driven embers that land on or against the building, often well ahead of the fire itself. An ember that lands on bare gravel goes out. An ember that lands in a bed of bark mulch against a wall has fuel, and it has all night to work.
That is the whole logic of Zone 0. It is not about the landscape looking fire-safe. It is about removing the fuel from the one place where a small ignition becomes a house fire.
What is prohibited in Zone 0
- Bark, wood chips and other combustible mulch
- Fallen leaves, needles, twigs and other debris, including on the roof and in gutters
- Dead or dying vegetation
- Firewood and stored lumber
- Combustible fencing and gates attached to the structure, and combustible decking, in the later compliance phase
What is permitted
Noncombustible ground surfaces. In practice that means gravel, crushed rock, decomposed granite, river rock and pebble, pavers, concrete, or bare soil. None of these carry fire, and none of them break down into something that does.
The part most guides get wrong
Zone 0 does not require five feet of bare gravel all the way around the house. That is a simplification, and following it can cost you a planting bed you did not need to remove.
The rule sets a tighter vegetation-free band inside Zone 0:
- At least 1 foot out from exterior walls, or out to the edge of the eave where the eave projects further
- At least 2 feet around windows, doors and vents
- 5 feet from attached decks, stairs and pergolas
Beyond that band, out to the full five feet, limited planting is still allowed: lawn kept under three inches, non-woody flowers and low ground cover, and plants in noncombustible containers, all maintained and kept clear of the vulnerable spots above. The combustible mulch ban applies across the whole five feet regardless.
So the honest summary is: a hard noncombustible strip tight against the building, then a maintained, low, non-woody planting area out to five feet if you want one. Many fire agencies, including Fire Safe Marin, recommend going further and keeping the entire five feet clear of anything that burns. That is a recommendation above the minimum, not the rule itself.
Who it applies to and when
The rule covers structures in a State Responsibility Area, and in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone within a Local Responsibility Area. That includes single family homes, multi-family buildings, ADUs and outbuildings, owner occupied and rental alike.
| Situation | Timing |
|---|---|
| New construction | Complies on the effective date, no grace period |
| Existing homes, phase 1 | Within about 3 years of the effective date: clearing, vegetation, ground surfaces, gutters |
| Existing homes, phase 2 | About 3 to 5 years: fencing, decking, vents, outbuildings |
Because there is no statewide effective date yet, treat these as intervals rather than calendar dates.
Replacing mulch in the first five feet
If you currently run bark right up to the foundation, this is the change that matters. Pull the bark back out of the five foot band and put a noncombustible surface in its place. The bark is fine further out in the yard; it is the strip against the building that has to change.
Two practical notes from the yard. First, lay landscape fabric under the stone so soil does not work up through it, because a rock band with organic debris sitting in it is drifting back toward the thing you were trying to avoid. Second, whatever you use here still needs sweeping or blowing out, since leaf litter blowing into gravel is combustible debris even if the gravel is not.
Materials that comply
All of these are noncombustible and all of them work as a ground surface in the first five feet.
Decomposed granite
Landscape gravel and rock
Pea gravel and pebble
Pavers and hard surfaces
Browse the full range in decomposed granite, landscape rock and gravel, pea gravel, pebbles and pavers. Work out quantities with the coverage calculator.
About bark and mulch, since we sell it
Bark mulch is a good material and we are not going to pretend otherwise. It holds moisture, it feeds soil as it breaks down, and it is the right choice across most of a planted yard. What it is not is a material for the first five feet around a building in a fire hazard zone, and the new rule says so directly.
If you are re-doing beds, the sensible pattern is noncombustible in the Zone 0 band and bark or mulch beyond it. That way the planting still gets what it needs and the building is not sitting in fuel. See our guide to landscaping with bark mulch for where it does belong.
How much material you need
A five foot band around a 2,000 square foot single storey home is roughly 200 to 250 linear feet of perimeter, so about 1,000 to 1,250 square feet. At a 2 inch depth that is somewhere around 8 to 10 tons of gravel or decomposed granite, depending on the material's density, and about 10 percent more once you allow for compaction and waste. Measure your own building and put the real figure into our Zone 0 planner, which draws the band, sizes the material and adds a delivery estimate for your ZIP, or use the coverage calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is Zone 0 in California?
Zone 0 is the ember-resistant zone: the first five feet measured out from a building. California's rule requires that band to be kept free of combustible material, because most homes lost in wildfires are ignited by wind-driven embers landing against the structure rather than by the fire front itself.
Is mulch allowed in Zone 0?
No. Bark, wood chips and other combustible mulch are prohibited within the first five feet of a structure. Replace them with a noncombustible surface such as gravel, decomposed granite, river rock, pavers or concrete. Bark mulch remains fine beyond the five foot zone.
What ground cover is allowed in Zone 0?
Noncombustible surfaces: gravel, crushed rock, decomposed granite, river rock and pebble, pavers, concrete, or bare soil.
Does Zone 0 mean no plants at all?
No, and this is widely misreported. The rule sets a vegetation-free band of at least one foot from exterior walls or out to the eave edge, two feet around windows, doors and vents, and five feet from attached decks and stairs. Beyond that band, out to the full five feet, maintained lawn under three inches, non-woody flowers and low ground cover, and plants in noncombustible containers are still allowed. The ban on combustible mulch applies across the whole five feet.
When does the Zone 0 rule take effect?
The Board of Forestry approved the final rule on 19 August 2026, but it is not law yet and there is no statewide effective date. It goes to the Office of Administrative Law and then to the Secretary of State. Once effective, new construction complies immediately, existing homes get roughly three years for clearing and ground surfaces and three to five years for fencing, decking and vents. Confirm dates with your local fire authority.
Does Zone 0 apply to my property?
It applies to structures in a State Responsibility Area, and to those in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone within a Local Responsibility Area. That covers single family homes, multi-family buildings, ADUs and outbuildings, whether owner occupied or rented. Your local fire authority can confirm which zone your address falls in.
What gravel is best for the first five feet?
Any clean noncombustible stone works. Decomposed granite gives a compact, tidy surface that stays put. Gravel and crushed rock are the usual choice for a wider band. River rock and pebble suit a decorative finish where the strip is visible. The important thing is that it is stone rather than bark, and that you keep leaf litter out of it.
Getting the materials
We stock every material that complies with Zone 0: decomposed granite, landscape rock and gravel, pea gravel, river rock and pebble and pavers, by the ton, the half ton, the bag or as a sample. Size the job with the Zone 0 planner or the coverage calculator, and we deliver from our California yards with pickup at Rosamond and Goshen.
This guide describes what the regulation requires and which materials meet it. It is not fire safety advice and no landscaping material makes a building fireproof. For requirements specific to your address, and for anything to do with protecting your home, talk to your local fire authority or CAL FIRE.