Zone 0 compliance checklist

Before you start

• Confirm your home is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone on the 2025 map (lookup).
• Note your jurisdiction: City of San Diego (Feb 28, 2027 deadline) or county / other city (state timeline).
• Photograph every side of the house and every structure from about 15 feet back. Date the photos.
• Measure five feet out from the exterior walls and mark it with flags, chalk, or a hose so you are working to the actual line.

Walls and the five-foot band

Do this for each side of the house, then for each detached structure (garage, shed, casita, pool equipment enclosure).

• No woody shrubs, hedges, or foundation plants within 5 ft of the wall.
• No vines or climbers on the wall, trellis, or fence.
• No bark, wood chip, pine straw, or rubber mulch. Ground is gravel, DG, pavers, concrete, or bare soil.
• No dead plants, dry grass, or weeds in the band.
• No leaf litter, pine needles, or palm fronds on the ground.
• Tree branches at least 5 ft from walls and roof; canopy at least 10 ft from the roof; nothing dead in the tree.
• Litter and vegetation under any tree that stays is cleared.
• Potted plants are non-woody, in ceramic/concrete/metal pots, on a hard surface.

Roof, gutters, eaves, and vents

• Gutters cleaned; no leaves or needles.
• Roof valleys and the areas behind chimneys and skylights cleared of debris.
• No branches overhanging or touching the roof.
• Attic, eave, foundation, and crawlspace vents covered with 1/8-inch metal mesh (or ember-resistant vents).
• Nothing stored on the roof or against the eaves.

Decks, porches, balconies, and stairs

• Nothing stored under the deck: no firewood, lumber, boxes, furniture, or gear.
• No vegetation or leaf litter under or beside the deck.
• Deck surface free of leaves and debris, including between boards.
• Cushions, outdoor rugs, and umbrellas stored indoors or beyond 5 ft during fire weather.
• Deck openings screened with metal mesh so embers cannot blow underneath.

Fences and gates

• Where a wooden fence meets the house, the last section (about 5 ft) is replaced with a noncombustible gate or panel.
• Side-yard gate is metal, or does not touch the house.
• Any wooden fence that stays is sound, maintained, and free of debris and dead vegetation along its base.
• No wood lattice, trellis, or pergola attached to the house within the zone (or replaced with metal).

Stored items and everyday things

• Firewood and lumber moved at least 30 ft from any structure or into a closed metal container.
• Trash, recycling, and green-waste bins kept in the garage or beyond 5 ft.
• Propane cylinders and grills moved beyond 5 ft when not in use.
• No cardboard, paper, or boxes stored outside.
• Natural-fiber doormats, brooms, and wicker removed from the zone.
• Vehicles, boats, and trailers parked beyond 5 ft where possible; area beneath them kept clear.

Detached structures

• Every shed, casita, garage, and pool-equipment enclosure has its own clear 5-ft zone.
• Nothing combustible stored against or between structures.

Beyond five feet (quick look)

Zone 0 is the priority, but while you are outside:

• Zone 1 (5–30 ft): plants under 4 ft, fire-resistant, spaced, irrigated; no dead material. Rules.
• Zone 2 (30–100 ft): brush thinned by 50%; dead wood removed; no continuous fuel path to the house.
• Address numbers visible from the street for responders.

When you are done

• After photos from the same spots as the before photos.
• Photos and receipts filed with your insurance documents.
• Calendar reminder set for a maintenance pass next spring.