How to Create a Wildfire Defensible Space Around Your Home and Property

California residents are no strangers to the dangers of wildfires and the destruction they can cause to homes and communities. Maintaining a defensible space around your home and property is a fundamental step in minimizing potential damage and spreading of wildfires.

Creating a defensible space means establishing and maintaining the 2 buffer zones between your home and surrounding trees, bushes, and other horticultural areas surrounding your property.

Below are 3 tips for maintaining these buffer zones and creating a defensible space around your property to help protect your home from fire damage and slow or stop the spread of wildfires.

1. Identify Potential Fire Risks on Your Property

Our skilled arborists at Vintage Tree Care Inc can help you identify areas on your property that would be most susceptible to fires. We will take the time to prune all low hanging tree branches on your property to ensure a safe buffer zone between your home and any vegetation.

Sick or distressed trees can cause various risks to your property in the event of a wildfire. Our licensed arborists are experts at identifying and resolving potential fire hazards due to excessive leaf shedding, brittle and dry limbs, frail bark and rot and fungus growth.

2. Learn the Defensible Space Zones on Your Property

We follow all recommended guidelines provided by The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) to safeguard properties in the event of wildfires. Not only do these defensible spaces help protect your home from fire damage, they also provide a safe buffer zone for firefighters to defend your home and slow or stop the spread of the wildfire.

There are two zones that make up the required 100 feet of defensible space around your home:

Zone 1: Extends 30 feet from your home, deck, or other building structures

• Trim and prune all branches in this zone keeping them at least 10 feet away from other trees of structures
• Remove all dry or dead vegetation from this zone, including from your roof or gutters
• Minimize the number of shrubs or bushes near structure buildings and keep remaining foliage pruned and trimmed 10 feet away from each other and structures
• Keep all patio furniture, play equipment, or other flammable outdoor items at least 10 feet away from each other
• Remove all wood piles from zone 1, and relocate them to zone 2

Zone 2: Extends 30 to 100 feet from your home, deck, or other building structures

• Keep all grass at a maximum height of 4 inches
• Create horizontal spacing between trees, bushes, and shrubs
• Create vertical spacing between trees and ground

Fire requires fuel to continue burning and spreading; with professional pruning and trimming our tree care experts will foster strength and longevity in your trees that will also ensure a defensible space around your home and property.

3. Minimize Fire Risk by Working With a Tree Care Professional

Our professional arborists will help maintain a defensible space around your home by keeping your trees safe, healthy, and beautiful all in one appointment. Hiring a licensed, insured company, like Vintage Tree Care Inc, is the only way to ensure your property is prepared in the event of a wildfire.

Vintage Tree Care Knows Safety

Our knowledge and expertise is trusted by individuals and businesses all over Sonoma County. Contact us today for an Estimate if you are in need of tree care and creating a clean and safe landscape around your home or office.