While our primary focus is on the trimming and removal of highly flammable plants (i.e., acacia, juniper, bay, bamboo, Italian cypress, eucalyptus, and aging pine trees), our highly-skilled team can take on a wide variety of jobs.
What is fire mitigation?
Because trees and shrubs continue to grow, trees drop their leaves and needles, plants die and new plants sprout up, defensible space requires annual maintenance. Homeowners can help protect their homes against the threat of wildfires by performing mitigation activities annually.
Fire mitigation removes fuels around structures that can create increased heat and exposure in the event of a wildland fire. Wildland fires include grass fires, brush fires and forest fires. The impact of these fires can be minimized or mitigated by creating a defensible space (link) and taking other actions to reduce the intensity of the fire and help fire crews fight fires that may threaten a home.
Fire Mitigation Tasks
1. Thin trees and brush
2. Dispose of slash and debris from thinning
3. Remove dead limbs, leaves and other litter
4. Stack firewood away from the home
5. Maintain an irrigated greenbelt
6. Mow dry grass and weeds
7. Prune branches 10 feet above the ground
8. Trim branches away from the roof
9. Clean roof and gutters
10. Reduce density of the surrounding forest
What is defensible space?
Defensible space is an area around a structure where fuels and vegetation are treated, cleared or reduced to slow the spread of fire. This area allows firefighters to protect homes from an advancing wildfire. Without defensible space, firefighters cannot safely fight the fire and cannot put their lives at risk to protect property.
By creating a defensible space, homeowners increase the odds of surviving a wildland fire. Thinning trees, removing brush, mowing grass, and limbing up trees near the house reduces the intensity of the fire. Creating breaks in the vegetation, including breaks between trees, provides natural barriers that help firefighters slow the fire and reduce potential loss.
Creating a defensible space around a home increases the potential for the home to withstand a wildland fire and make it more defensible by firefighters.