How Zone Zero, designed to protect California homes from wildfire, became plagued with controversy and delays

After years of delays, California’s Zone Zero regulations face a Dec. 31 deadline.

But it seems likely state officials will miss that deadline as they struggle to balance fire safety with what’s reasonable for homeowners.

Many L.A. residents oppose the rules, which could require the removal of healthy plants from home perimeters, arguing the restrictions lack scientific evidence to justify such measures.

Late last month, California fire officials made a courtesy call to Los Angeles.

The state’s proposed Zone Zero regulations that would force homeowners to create an ember-resistant zone around their houses — initially planned to take effect nearly three years ago — had caused an uproar in the region. It was time for damage control.

Officials from both Cal Fire and the state’s Board of