Defensible Space
There’s a lot you can do to help your home survive a wildfire. One of the most important things is to create a zone of defensible space so that nothing directly adjacent to your house can catch fire.
Use the button below or contact us to schedule a free defensible space assessment. We will assess your property and help you plan how to best defend your home.
What is defensible space?
Defensible space is the area around your home or business and nearby grass, trees, shrubs, or wildland. Keeping this area mowed and free of overgrown brush and dry material can help your property survive a wildfire. Defensible space improves safety for people and firefighters and makes evacuations easier. Embers, which can travel up to three miles ahead of the main fire, are the biggest reason homes are lost during wildfires.
Tips to Create Defensible Space
- Clear out dried leaves and pine needles from gutters, eaves, and around your chimney.
- Trim the lower branches of trees so they don’t act as a ladder for fire to reach the treetops.
- Keep patios free of dry materials, like leaves or old wood, especially in the summer.
- Store firewood and leftover construction materials at least 30 feet away from your house.
- Trim bushes near your house so they don’t touch the walls or siding.
- Clean leaves, needles, and debris off your roof and out of gutters regularly.
- Remove plants and bushes growing directly under the eaves of your house; leave at least a five-foot gap.
- Use 1/8-inch metal mesh to cover attic vents, soffit vents, and open spaces under decks and patios.
- Clear leaves, dead wood, mulch, and other debris from on, under, and around decks and fences.
Information courtesy of Oregon State Fire Marshall