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99% Invisible · November 3, 2026 · 37m 27s

Zone Zero

99% Invisible reports on the contentious debate over how to adapt homes and neighborhoods to increasingly extreme wildfire risk. The story centers on Berkeley, California, where the fight has become particularly emotional because of an architectural history that dates back to the 1890s. Reporter Emmett Fitzgerald covers the new Zone Zero rules governing what plants residents can grow around their houses. The episode connects the current rules to the show's earlier reporting on defensible space.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Preview

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Adapting Homes to Extreme Wildfire Risk Divides Western Communities
Across the West, adapting homes and neighborhoods to increasingly extreme wildfire risk has become a contentious debate.
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Berkeley's 1890s Architectural History Makes the Fire Rules Emotional
Berkeley's fight over wildfire adaptation rules is particularly emotional because of a specific architectural history that began in the 1890s.

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