California's New Zone 0 Rules: What They Mean for Your Custom Home in Rancho Santa Fe and Poway
California's Zone 0 rules put the first 5 feet around your home at the center of wildfire safety. Here's what they require, where they already apply in San Diego County, and how to design for them without giving up the indoor-outdoor living you love. Mid-October's Santa Ana winds were a sharp reminder of how fast a wildfire can reach a neighborhood. The Henderson Fire burned more than 2,000 acres near Camp Pendleton, and on October 16 the Norte Fire raced from San Clemente into San Juan Capistrano, damaging or destroying six homes. For families in Rancho Santa Fe, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Escondido and across inland North County, those fires hit close to home. They also put a spotlight on Zone 0, California's new ember-resistant zone. Whether you're planning a custom home, an addition or a remodel, here's what you need to know. Zone 0 at a glance Zone 0 is the first 5 feet around your home, the area where wind-blown embers are most likely to start a house fire. ...
