Malibu Safety Chief Pushes for Tougher Zone Zero Rules Play

Malibu's public safety director wants the city to consider going beyond the new Zone Zero law to reduce fire threats next to houses.

Susan Duenas is again asking the Public Safety Commission to consider a city ordinance that would be even stronger than the new fire-reduction rules, known as Zone Zero, approved by the state last week.

She says the city should consider tightening the state rules that ban combustible material within five feet of structures.

Duenas says the city should go further than the state. The intent is to provide more structure protection than the state minimum while remaining practical for residents and enforceable by Code Enforcement.

Duenas also wants city zoning enforcement officers to have clearer authority to address hazardous vegetation that poses a wildfire risk between normal brush-clearance inspections.

Although Code Enforcement can already address these conditions under the current Nuisance Abatement Code, the current language does not specifically call out wildfire hazards. That may need adding language to the city nuisance code, she says.