No vegetation at all
- Under eaves
- Within 1 ft of a wall with no eave
- Within 2 ft of windows, doors and vents
- Within 5 ft of attached decks, stairs and pergolas
Does not belong
- Bark, wood chips, combustible mulch; leaves and needles
- Firewood, stored items, dead plants, wooden sheds
- Combustible fences or gates touching the house
May remain, if non-woody and well kept
- Lawn and groundcover under 3 in.
- Non-woody plants 3 to 18 in., in small patches
- Pots up to 18 in. tall, noncombustible, 5 gal. max
- Zone 0 plants spaced 1.5 × tallest height apart
Common mistakes and fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Organic mulch against the wall | Gravel or other noncombustible cover |
| Leaves in gutters | Clean before and during fire season |
| Wooden fence touching house | Add a noncombustible section and metal gate |
| Dense shrubs under eaves or windows | Remove or move them |
The Zone 0 regulations were adopted in August 2026 and phase in; confirm timing with your local agency.
Fire-safe still needs a water budget. Validate your hydrozones, WUCOLS plant ratings and MAWA water budget, and get permit-ready compliance documents, at MWELO.com. For fuel-mod plant choices, see the MWELO fuel mod guide.