Home / Is it allowed?

Is it allowed in Zone 0?

Search any item for a plain answer, the rule behind it and what to do instead.

• Bark and wood chip mulch Would have to go No. Combustible mulch, including bark and wood chips, is not allowed within 5 feet of the house.
• Gravel, rock and pavers Can stay Yes. The draft does not name gravel, but it only limits materials that burn, and gravel, rock and pavers do not.
• Firewood Would have to go No. Firewood cannot be stored within 5 feet of the house.
• Dead leaves and pine needles Would have to go No. Leaves, needles and other small debris that burn cannot build up within 5 feet of the house, on the roof or in gutters.
• Lawn and low ground cover Can stay, with limits Yes, with limits. Well-kept, non-woody plants under 3 inches tall are allowed, outside the plant-free strips.
• Small plants (3 to 18 inches) Can stay, with limits Some. Non-woody plants 3 to 18 inches tall are allowed outside the plant-free strips, if kept free of dead material and spaced apart.
• Potted plants Can stay, with limits Yes, with limits. Non-woody plants under 18 inches, in noncombustible pots under 5 gallons, spaced apart.
• Shrubs and woody plants Would have to go Not under the draft. Only non-woody plants are on the allowed list for Zone 0.
• Plants against the house Would have to go Nothing can grow under the eaves, within 1 foot of the walls, within 2 feet of windows, doors, posts and vents, or within 5 feet of attached decks, stairs and pergolas.
• Wood fence attached to the house Can stay, with limits Partly. A combustible fence or gate cannot attach to the house. You need a 5-foot section that does not burn where it meets the house.
• Sheds and outbuildings Can stay, with limits Only if the shed is entirely noncombustible. A wood or plastic shed cannot sit within 5 feet of the house.
• Storage under decks and stairs Would have to go No. The space under decks, balconies, pergolas and stairs must be free of plants and anything that burns.
• Tree branches near the house Can stay, with limits Trees can stay, but no dead branches, no branches under the eaves, and live branches at least 10 feet from chimneys and stovepipes.