With temperatures rising and wildfires becoming more common, homeowners need to take precautions to protect their properties. Analyzing your home and working with a tree service to reduce the amount of combustible material nearby will go a long way toward keeping you safe during a wildfire. 

Understanding Defensible Space

The term “defensible space” refers to the area within 100 feet of your home that can serve as a buffer between the fire. To reduce the likelihood of flames reaching your home, remove all flammable vegetation within this area, and create more space between flammable objects, such as trees, patio sets, or swing sets.

Defensible space is typically divided into two zones: Zone 1 extends out 30 feet from your home, and Zone 2 covers 31-100 feet from your home. Extending the defensible area beyond 100 feet is generally counterproductive.

Protecting Zone 1

Wildfire prevention in Zone 1, closest to your home, involves removing all combustible materials away from the structure. Get rid of any dead or dying vegetation, including plants around and under the deck, clean out gutters, and cut back or remove any vegetation near your home’s windows.

Call a tree service to cut back any canopies so they’re at least 10 feet away from your roof. There should be at least 10 feet of space between trees. The tree service should also remove any branches lower than six feet from the ground and other surrounding vegetation that can serve as “ladder fuel,” allowing the flames to reach the canopy. Finally, move other flammable materials, such as woodpiles, to Zone 2.

Protecting Zone 2

Protecting Zone 2 is mostly about creating space between flammable objects to prevent a fire from jumping between them. The ideal amount of space between trees depends on the slope of your property—the higher it is, the more space you need. A tree service can help you determine how many trees need to be removed or pruned. For shrubs, the space between them should be at least double their width on flat land; on sloped land, the space needs to increase. Tree canopies should be trimmed to have 10 feet of space between them. Mow your grass to less than four inches high as well.

 

If you need help creating a defensible zone to protect your home from wildfires, call the professionals at Carlos Tree Service. Since 1993, their fully trained and licensed arborists have served homeowners in Anchorage, AK, with tree removal, trimming, and care. Visit them online to learn more about their services, or call (907) 522-6049 to schedule a consultation.