California adopts strongest landscaping rules in U.S. for wildfire risk
On August 19, California's Board of Forestry and Fire Protection voted to adopt the strongest wildfire protection rules in the U.S., requiring homeowners in fire-prone areas to manage vegetation within five feet of their homes, affecting nearly 2 million homes.
California has adopted the toughest rules in the country to help protect communities from burning as severe wildfires burn across the Western U.S. Homeowners in wildfire-prone areas will be required to limit plants within five feet of their house.
Wednesday's vote by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection came after years of debate. Regulators struck a compromise: lawns, flowers and non-woody plants up to 18 inches tall are allowed unless directly under the roofline; trees are allowed with branches trimmed five feet from a structure. The rules apply to new construction right away and will be phased in for existing structures, affecting almost 2 million homes in high-risk areas.
State regulators say the rules reflect the new reality of more extreme wildfires. More than 57,000 homes and buildings have been destroyed in California in the last decade. California has long led wildfire policy, pioneering fire-resistant building codes for nearly 20 years. The new vegetation rules will be enforced by local fire departments and state agencies doing annual home inspections. For existing homes, the rules go into effect in 2029 at the earliest.
翻译：119zj