What is Defensible Space?
Creating Defensible Space entails modifying the natural and introduced vegetation around your home to reduce fire hazard. This causes separation – both vertical and horizontal – between potential fuel sources like between trees and grasses or between grasses/shrubs and houses. Adequate defensible space acts as a barrier to slow or halt the progress of fire that would otherwise engulf your property. It also helps ensure the safety of firefighters defending your home.
Maintaining your defensible space might just be the difference maker.
Once you have invested in creating defensible space around your home, maintaining the quality of your defensible space should be your next priority. Yet, many property owners do not perform the routine maintenance required to keep their defensible space truly defensible.
Below are some of the best maintenance practices we recommend for mitigating fire danger. The majority of our fire mitigation maintenance visits are typically performed July through February when the threat of wildfire tends to be higher.
- Zone 1: 0-5′ from home
Collect and dispose of pine needles, dead leaves and other organic debris within 5 feet of all decks and structures. - Zone 2: 5-30′ from home
Cut down grasses to 4″ tall or less. Keep tree branches pruned to a height of 6-10′ from the ground. - Zone 3: 30-100′ from home
Cut back o remove ladder fuels from base of trees. Keep tree branches pruned up to 6′ above the ground.
Need Help Maintaining Your Defensible Space?
From clearing of Zone 1 combustible debris immediately around your home, to keeping ladder fuels down and tall grasses low within a 100′ perimeter, we are here to help Boulder County homeowners mitigate risk and protect property from wildfire. We offer annual plans that can vary in frequency and total annual visits depending upon the degree of fire preparedness you would like to have.
Get In Touch
To schedule a consultation or request services please call 303-245-9166, send an email to info@nativeedgelandscapes.com
