California strengthens rules for home landscaping
On Aug. 19, 2026, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection reached a new compromise for California’s Zone Zero, strengthening landscaping rules while listening to requests for curb appeals. Homeowners and builders will be required to abide by new plant limitations within 5 feet of a house. Lawns, flowers and non-woody plants up to 18 inches tall will be permitted, unless they are located directly under the roofline of a house. While trees will be allowed, branches must be trimmed 5 feet away from a structure.
The rules will immediately apply to new construction, but will be phased in for existing structures, affecting almost two million homes in high-risk areas. The new rules reflect the new reality of more extreme wildfires: Research has shown that more than 57,000 homes and buildings have been destroyed in California in the last decade. Plants
