FireWise: Creating Defensible Space Around Your Home

FireWise Defensible Space and Waste Disposal

Objectives:

First, reduce the total amount of fuel available in the immediate vicinity of your home. This will accomplish two things.

An approaching wildfire will not be as hot and will be less likely to spread to the structure. It will also be easier to defend the structure in the event of a wildfire.

A fire originating in the immediate vicinity of your home will be easier to contain within the immediate area your home.

Second, remove ladder fuels which provide a path for a ground fire to climb from brush or accumulated debris into the tree tops.

Zones:

When building defensible space around a structure think in terms of zones.

Zone 1 is the area within 30 feet of your structure. Zone 2 is the defensible space area recommended in the Vegetation and Slope Matrix. Zone 2 may be the same area as Zone 1 or it may be quite a bit larger. Zone 3 is the remaining area on your property outside of Zone 2. Before removing fuels beyond your property line, even if they fall within zones 1 or 2, consult with your neighbor.

Zone 1: a 30 foot perimeter around structure

Do this first:

• Remove all leaf and pine needle accumulations from roof and gutters.
• Reduce thick layers of leaves, twigs, pine cones and pine needles from ground so layer is not more than 2 inches. Do not disturb the layer of decomposing pine needles nearest to the ground.
• Remove dead trees, dead shrubs and accumulated dead wood.
• Prune dead branches from shrubs and trees below 12 feet from ground.
• Remove piles of accumulated brush, branches, leaves and pine needles from the 30 foot perimeter.
• Locate piles of leaves and pine needles saved for composting outside the 30 foot perimeter.
• Locate firewood outside the 30 foot perimeter.

Do this second:

• Remove branches that touch the structure.
• Remove trees less than 15 ft from chimney.
• Thin trees so emergency vehicles can navigate around the structure.
• Remove highly flammable shrubs and brush: juniper, arborvitae, mugo pine, bitterbrush and sage.
• Keep lawn and wild grasses mowed.

Zone 2: determined by slope of land and type of vegetation

The size of the zone 2 defensible space is determined by the kind of natural vegetation and the slope of the land. A steep slope calls for a wider perimeter than a flat area. A grassy area with only a few trees and shrubs calls for a smaller perimeter than an area dominated by shrubs and brush. The following table will help you determine the recommended distance from your structure for zone 2 defense measures.

Zone 2 Defensible Space: Vegetation and Slope Matrix

To determine your defensible space, match the slope of your land with the type of vegetation.
	30 Feet	100 Feet	100 Feet
	100 Feet	200 Feet	200 Feet
	30 Feet	100 Feet	200 Feet

To determine the slope of land around your home, use the Slope Guide tool below.

The Slope Guide Tool is also available in a higher quality Adobe Acrobat Format: Click Here for Adobe PDF Version

Zone 2 defense measures

• Remove dead trees, dead shrubs and accumulated dead wood
• Thin out trees growing close together. Fewer trees mean less fuel for the fire.
• Remove highly flammable ladder fuel shrubs and brush such as juniper, arborvitae, mugo pine, bitterbrush and sage.

Zone 3: the area between zone 2 and your property line

• Remove dead trees, dead shrubs and accumulated dead wood on the ground.

Disposal Options:

What are your disposal options?

Notes on Disposal Options: