Interesting debate shaping up about landscaping policy in California. Contributor: California's proposed ban on plants near homes could be dangerously bad advice
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Yes, this discussion over “Zone 0” is a very emotional topic right now, with high potential to create confusion for the casual follower. For example, my studies on defensible space have been used both in support of and against the proposed ban.
One of key issues at play is the role of fuel moisture in mediating the potential ignitabily of material near a structure. Research not only in modeling studies, but following actual wildfires, is sorely needed to tease out the relative effects of fuel volume versus fuel moisture. California is a state with frequent water shortages, which is one of the issues brought up in favor of Zone 0. But then again, there are native plants with naturally high fuel moisture that don’t require much water.
Ultimately, I agree with the authors here that the current emphasis is overly simplistic, and caution is always needed to avoid unintended consequences.
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