The fire prevention project, “Zone Zero,” is giving residents an opportunity to voice community input about the increased frequency and intensity of California wildfires, and preventive measures to be taken.
The event is scheduled Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention Center.
“Zone Zero” is to help property owners when dealing with fires to create “defensible space” around homes and buildings, about 5 feet around the perimeter, and to follow certain building standards that make it more difficult for homes to ignite.
In 2020, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 3074 to help residents with defensible spaces and ember-resistant zones, among other things like required guidance documents to be updated with region-specific plant choices and safe practices.
The requirement for very high fire hazard zones is 100 feet of defensible space. Ember-resistant zones are 0-5 feet and help keep flammables away from the structures. A zone of 5-30 feet requires more intense fuel reduction than the outer zone, according to AB 3074.
In 2024, Senate Bill 504 helped strengthen defensible spaces laws and extended ember-resistant zone compliance for existing homes to three years when it was originally only one year. It also applied defensible space requirements to all homes in state responsibility areas rather than certain vegetation types.
Senate Bill 504 also aimed to expand local grant programs to fund more public education, technology and community fire safety projects and gave funding to local governments doing defensible space inspections and reporting their results.
With these bills passed, Public Resource Code 4291 faces some changes, which requires the state Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to establish “Zone Zero,” according to an email statement from Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order N-18-25 requires the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to complete rulemaking for “Zone Zero” no later than Dec. 31, the statement said.
The Pasadena Convention Center is located at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena.
