A California policy that\u2019s been delayed amid backlash could force millions of homeowners to rip out flowers, gardens and bushes near their homes to mitigate against the deadly wildfires that tore through the state in recent years. <\/p>\n
The policy, dubbed \u201czone zero,\u201d will apply to some 2 million homeowners in the state and require them to clear plants and other combustible materials within five feet of their homes \u2014 even if it means destroying home gardens. <\/p>\n
The \u201czone zero\u201d policy dates back to a 2020 state law, authored by former Glendale assemblymember Laura Friedman and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, that mandated the greenery-free zone and gave the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection until Jan. 1, 2023 to write the regulations. <\/p>\n
The state has long blown through that deadline<\/a> amid furor over the anti-garden policy.<\/p>\n Flowers and other greenery within five feet of California homes may be banned under the zone zero policy. Getty Images<\/p>\n Residents in leafy Berkeley railed against the anti-garden law but ultimately approved new rules that would put homeowners into compliance with the state\u2019s zone zero policy. <\/p>\n \u201cIt just feels horrific to anyone who loves nature,\u201d East Bay resident Rhonda Gruska told the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a> in April. \u201cWe care about the plants. We don\u2019t want to rip them out and put in cement.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tNeed West Coast news? The California Post is coming soon.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet in early. Sign up for our weekly newsletter before our 2026 launch.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Advocates claim the 5 foot perimeter will help protect homes from damage in the event of wildfires. <\/p>\n But homeowner outrage over the draconian new rules have caused disagreements over how strictly to enforce the policy, according to Bloomberg<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rep. Laura Friedman, a former Glendale assemblymember, authored the fire protection law. Getty Images<\/p>\n Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law, but it has since been mired in controversy over enforcement. Getty Images for The New York Times<\/p>\n