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Zone Zero home hardening example from Fire Safe Marin
Fire Safe Marin Zone Zero Video

Getting to know Zone Zero

Naomi Redding
Naomi Redding |

Zone Zero: Your Home’s First Line of Defense Against Wildfire

Wildfires don’t just threaten homes from roaring walls of flame. More often, tiny embers carried on the wind ignite what’s close to our houses — mulch, fences, firewood piles, or even a single dried leaf. That’s why creating a safe, non-combustible buffer in the first five feet around your home — what fire experts call Zone Zero — is the single most important step you can take to protect your property.

This 7-minute video from FireSafe Marin explains why Zone Zero is so critical and how it fits into the broader concept of Defensible Space. Here’s what you need to know:


What Is Zone Zero? It's the first 5' from your home. Think of it as a protective picture frame around your most valuable asset.

MOFD Zone 0, Zone 1, Zone 2

Zone Zero is the 0–5 foot area immediately surrounding your home. Think of it as a necklace or picture frame around your house — everything in this space should be hard, clean, and fire-safe.

  • Remove bark mulch, dead plants, and leaf litter.

  • Replace combustible materials with gravel, pavers, or decomposed granite.

  • Keep this zone free of wood piles, fencing, or shrubs that could catch a spark.

  • Use only fire-resistant plants in pots if you want greenery near the house.

By managing this critical ring, you reduce the chance of embers turning into flames right against your walls, vents, or roofline.


How Zone Zero Fits Into Defensible Space

Defensible Space is divided into zones that work together:

  • Zone 0 (0–5 ft): Non-combustible buffer around the home.

  • Zone 1 (5–30 ft): “Lean, Clean, Green.” Remove dead plants, prune trees, and keep spacing between shrubs.

  • Zone 2 (30–100 ft or property line): Reduce heavy fuel loads by thinning vegetation and removing ladder fuels.

While every zone matters, experts agree that Zone Zero offers the highest return on effort. A single weekend of cleanup in this area can dramatically improve your home’s odds of survival.


Why This Matters for Our Community

Studies show that wildfire resilience isn’t just about individual homes — it’s a community-wide effort. When neighbors manage their Zone Zero and create defensible space, the benefit multiplies. One hardened home can protect another, and a whole block working together can shift outcomes for an entire neighborhood.

For Orinda, Moraga, and communities across Contra Costa County, that means Zone Zero isn’t just about protecting your house — it’s about protecting each other.


Where to Start

  1. Walk around your house and look at what’s within 5 feet of your walls.

  2. Remove anything flammable — mulch, firewood, shrubs, outdoor furniture cushions.

  3. Replace with non-combustible materials like pavers or gravel.


Defensible Designs Can Help

At Defensible Designs, our mission is to make wildfire hardening simple and achievable. We work with homeowners to:

  • Assess your property risks.

  • Create customized Zone Zero and Defensible Space plans.

  • Manage landscaping and home hardening upgrades.

Together, we can make your home — and your neighborhood — safer, stronger, and more resilient.

Ready to get started? Schedule a consultation today and let’s build your Zone Zero defense.

 

Thank you Todd Lando and Fire Safe Marin for this valuable information!

 

 

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