Home / Is it allowed? / Small plants (3 to 18 inches)
What plants are allowed in Zone 0?
Can stay, with limitsUnder the August 2026 state draft. Not law yet, though some cities have their own rules.
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.
- Non-woody means soft green stems, like grasses, most flowers and succulents.
- Each planting must be under 1 square foot.
- Space plantings at least 1.5 times the height of the tallest plant.
- Woody plants and shrubs are not on the allowed list.
Timing: Existing homes: within 3 years, or up to 5 on a local fire agency's schedule.
Source
- Notice of proposed emergency action: Zone 0 defensible space, California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, August 20, 2026