> But Michael Wara, the director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at the Stanford Wood Institute for the Environment, said it was likely the Millikins’

> But Michael Wara, the director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at the Stanford Wood Institute for the Environment, said it was likely the Millikins’ decision to dig out the existing landscaping directly surrounding the house and replace it with river stones that made the biggest difference. > “What folks in the wildfire business call the zone zero or the ember ignition zone, is kind of a key factor in whether homes do or do not burn down,” Wara said. > Having nothing combustible in the 5 feet directly around a house is enormously important. This has become increasingly important for fire insurance here in Southern California over the last decade. My neighbor has five acres and when he bought it after a fire destroyed his previous house, he went around and killed everything on his property except for a few distant trees using Round Up (creating a neighborhood standoff over the runoff in the process). We also had to completely clear cut all plant life that borders the small roads leading up to the neighborhood and all the properties because firefighters will refuse to send their trucks into any area that might be quickly cut off by flying embers lighting shrubs on fire.