Zone 0, sometimes referred to as the 'Ember Resistant Zone,' extends 0 to 5 feet from your house. It is the area closest to your house, including plants, decks, outdoor furniture, and the outside walls and coverings. This area is the most vulnerable and should be more aggressively maintained for fire resistance. When wildfire embers land in this area, they ignite any combustible material, which in turn can ignite your home. Gravel mulch and hardscaping are very effective in this area.

In this zone, which extends from 5 to 30 feet from the home, remove dead vegetation and debris, and maintain spacing between shrubs and trees. Remove 'ladder fuels' (i.e., trees or shrubs that are growing under other trees) because they can increase the probability of fire moving into the tree canopy. Keep vegetation in this zone irrigated. Hardscape and plant islands or beds can help maintain horizontal separation to reduce the spread of fire.

Zone 2 extends from 30 feet to at least 100 feet. Fuels need to be reduced in this zone. Dead grass, weeds, plants, and shrubs should be removed. Shaded fuel breaks that favor the growth of large native species by removing the understory, ladder fuels, and invasive species can favorably modify wildfire behavior while providing the foundation for a healthy and resilient forest.

When homes are located on steep slopes, decks commonly overhang the slope below, and this downslope area is often heavily vegetated. Prioritize defensible space actions so that flames from burning vegetation cannot reach the underside of the deck and ignite, with subsequent ignition of the home.

Dense neighborhoods with homes close together have an increased risk of building-to-building ignition because of the radiated heat and potential flames that are generated if a neighbor’s home burns. Prioritize actions to reduce the possibility of homes igniting each other. Intensify defensible space by thinning trees and shrubs between homes. Engage in neighborhood conversations to encourage all neighbors to take actions to reduce their own vulnerability to wildfire.

When homes are on large-parcel lots and neighboring homes are far apart, vegetation and other combustible materials on the property (e.g., wood pile, tool shed) can be a large factor in home ignition. Prioritize creating and maintaining defensible space, including the near-home noncombustible zone, and home-hardening techniques to reduce vulnerability from embers.