A regulatory effort to safeguard California homes from wildfires threatens to force some homeowners to remove trees and shrubs that sit close to structures, and is generating rage from residents who see it as actually endangering their homes.
Zone Zero regulations have been in the works for years, but in the wake of the Eaton and Palisades Fires the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection was ordered to speed the process up.
"Governor Newsom has asked to expedite these rules and have the process complete by the end of the year," said Tony Anderson, the forestry board's Executive Director.
Zone Zero refers to the area closest to a home's perimeter, the space from zero to five feet away from the walls.
The new regulations being considered would require that space to be "ember-re