After years of delay, California is rushing to finalize its rules requiring a five-foot ember-resistant perimeter around homes in areas of the state facing high wildfire risks.

The science supporting the benefits of keeping this buffer zone, known as “zone zero,” clear of anything likely to catch fire and ignite the side of a building is well established. But as the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection moves forward, they’re encountering pushback from an unexpected corner.

A handful of scientists involved in fire research have questioned a piece of the proposal that would require removing non-tree vegetation in zone zero, noting that the role of landscaping plants in spreading fires, particularly if they’re hydrated and well-maintained, has not been sufficiently studied to su

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