Can culling your garden slow a wildfire? A California city pins its hopes on a contested plan

"Tucked into the ridges overlooking California's San Francisco Bay and against an expansive nature area, the house Thouati and his wife have owned for 30-some years sits in one of the highest wildfire-threat areas in the state. A scientist with a penchant for diving deep, he poured into the research. Hundreds of articles later, he said, it became clear I had to swallow my pride."

"Berkeley is among the earliest adopters of so-called Zone 0 regulations, new mandates that require the first 5ft around homes in the highest-risk areas be cleared from anything combustible, a strategy meant to stop falling embers from igniting. While the idea is gaining interest, questions have swirled around the specifics."

"The challenges are an example of how the climate crisis has rewritten risk, prompting questions about what communities are willing to sacrifice for a sense of safety and control."

As wildfires intensify due to climate change, communities in high-risk areas like Berkeley, California are implementing Zone 0 regulations requiring homeowners to clear combustible vegetation within 5 feet of their homes. Resident Michel Thouati removed his fig tree, persimmon, and elderberry after researching how landscaping can fuel wildfires spreading from wildland into neighborhoods. Scientists and officials recognize that flammable features near structures pose significant risks, particularly in areas adjacent to nature reserves. These regulations represent difficult choices communities must make to reduce fire hazards, though the science remains complex and implementation raises questions about what residents are willing to sacrifice for safety.

Read at www.theguardian.com