In an unprecedented windmill fire in January, a pile of embers swept from burning hillsides toward neighborhoods, igniting houses and any fences and furniture around them, which burn. These flames spread to adjacent houses, and the wind drove millions of embers into the air to more houses and yards. Whether it’s more firefighters on the ground, or a helicopter or reservoir that sprays water in the air, one thing is absolutely clear to fire scientists: the time to start the battle is before it begins.
To this end, the California Legislature passed the 3074 bill in late 2020, requiring houses or occupied buildings in areas with the worst risk of fire to create five feet of defense space around them. The state already needs to remove brushes and dead leaves within 100 feet of the house. But the bill requires the establishment of a zero to five feet or zero area around the house. This does not guarantee that the house will not burn, but it provides the homeowner with the best defense that provides for the progress of the rest of the world.
Here is the problem: the law has not yet come into effect in 2020. The state’s Forestry and Fire Commission is accused of writing the rules and regulations for the zone by January 2023. The board has four years to deal with this issue, which is two years after the deadline.
It is not only ridiculous, but also irresponsible when the fire is getting stronger. Why hold it? How long does it take to decide if a homeowner shouldn’t really have a wooden fence or combustible shrub within five feet of the house? Cal Fire spokesman Christine McMorrow said the board is speeding up its process. However, board members have a lot to consider: “The new rules in Zero District will have financial impact on people, so the focus is now on the most important thing,” she said last week. The board also wants to provide an educational program to help people understand why they can’t have wooden fences. “We always want to push education toward citations,” she said.
Obviously, the biggest obstacle is figuring out the details of what is allowed and what is forbidden. What shouldn’t be allowed on the deck? What about the allowable materials for the deck itself? Is the doorman prohibited? Do all window frames have to be metal? However, it should not take four years to stipulate the rules. No matter how unpopular politics are, these are decisions that need to be made. State law has required more fire-resistant materials to be built in homes in prone areas and have ash-resistant ventilation holes. However, the zero zone rule may also weigh on material (such as siding on a house).
Cal Fire has also made suggestions on all of this. (By the way, you don’t have to wait for state laws to create your own zero zone.) Basically, there is no suggestion: no mulch or bark; no flammable furniture and seeders. Use pavers, gravel or concrete.
The Forestry and Fire Commission is expected to discuss the rules at its next meeting in March, but there is no decision. Whenever rules are determined, they still have to go through the state’s rulemaking process and get public comments.
Obviously, the process took too long. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on February 6 directing the board to propose rules within 45 days of its order and public comments within 45 days of his order, and this year The formal rule-making process will be completed before December 31. Even if you wait too long. By then, reconstruction will be carried out in the burned area of Los Angeles County.
Once formalized, the rule will first apply to new buildings; existing properties will be remodeled within a few years. The cost of materials will certainly be much cheaper than rebuilding a burned home.
These rules can help provide protection for the entire community. The more homes there are with defensive space, the stronger the reinforcement of the entire community. “It’s a community ignition and community structure issue,” said Jack Cohen, a longtime fire scientist. Of course, even a community with perfectly fixed areas is still susceptible to fire, but the chances of its structure will rise.
If there is time to put area zero into effect, it is now, when thousands of homes burned owners are anxious to rebuild or sell others that will be rebuilt. Extensive implementation of Area Zero could have a huge impact on fire safety in Los Angeles County.
But even if the state’s rulemaking is delayed, local jurisdictions can pass their own zero-zone regulations. There are many areas across the state that have already required regional zero rules. Los Angeles County and Los Angeles City can do the same.
If there are no state rules that take effect when the homeowner performs a reconstruction, they should still seriously consider rebuilding at least five feet of defensible space around the home. Abandoning combustible preferences for materials and plants is the smallest sacrifice, allowing a house and a neighbor to have a fight opportunity
