Zone Zero Landscaping Rules in Burbank
Out of the first five feet
- Bark and wood mulch against the foundation or under windows
- Dead or dying plants, dry grasses, and leaf litter
- Dense woody shrubs pressed against siding, especially junipers
- Firewood stacks and combustible storage parked along the wall
- Climbing vines on walls, trellises, and fences in the zone
Every item on this list has one thing in common: it catches embers and holds flame against your house.
Compliant by design
- Gravel, decomposed granite, pavers, and concrete walkways
- Bare, irrigated soil and noncombustible edging
- Low, well-watered succulents in noncombustible planters, per the final standard
- Maintained mature trees with canopies clear of the roofline, per local rules
- Hardscape seating areas, stone, metal, and masonry features
Compliance does not mean a moonscape. It means nothing in the first 5 feet that embers can use.
Shade matters in Burbank. The rule knows it.
Early drafts of the state's Zone 0 rules drew statewide pushback over mature trees, and for good reason: on Burbank's south-facing hillside streets, established trees are what make yards livable in summer.
The April 2026 Board of Forestry draft scaled back the blanket vegetation language. The target is ground-level combustible material in the first 5 feet, not healthy, maintained canopies. Burbank's existing hillside rules already require branches trimmed 10 feet from chimneys and canopies kept clear above roofs.
Verify tree-specific requirements with the Burbank Fire Department once the final text adopts. Until then: keep trees watered, pruned, and clear of the roof, and focus removals on the ground layer.
Burbank landscaping questions
Will I have to remove my shade trees in Burbank?
Unlikely, if they are maintained. The April 2026 draft scaled back blanket vegetation removal after statewide pushback about mature trees and shade. The focus is combustible material at ground level in the first 5 feet. Verify tree-specific rules with the Burbank Fire Department once final regulations adopt.
Is bark mulch banned next to the house?
In the first 5 feet, yes, that is the direction of the rule. Combustible mulch beds against the wall are one of the most common ember ignition points. Gravel, decomposed granite, pavers, and bare soil are the compliant replacements.
How does this fit with Burbank's 200-foot fuel modification requirement?
The Burbank Fire Department's Fire Hazard Reduction Program already governs vegetation from 0 to 200 feet on hillside parcels, including 50 percent native brush reduction in the outer band. Zone 0 adds a stricter standard for the innermost 5 feet. Same parcel, tighter rules closest to the structure.
What can I plant in the first 5 feet?
The draft regulations point toward low-growing, well-irrigated, low-fuel plantings at most, with hardscape preferred. Think succulents in noncombustible planters rather than shrubs in bark mulch. The final text will set specifics; a licensed landscape contractor can design to the draft standard now.
Redesign the five feet once, correctly
A licensed contractor maps what stays, what goes, and what replaces it. Free assessment, no obligation.