HOME HARDENING HUB

Ember Resistant Zone

Most critical. Keep this area clear of anything that might catch fire.

Remove all vegetation, including grass, ornamental or native plants, shrubs, fallen leaves and tree needles, weeds, and combustible mulches including bark and woodchips. You can landscape this area beautifully with stone or gravel.

Keep any green plants in this area in 5-gallon pots away from a vent, door, or window.

Clear debris from your roof, gutters, deck, porch, stairways, and under any areas of your home, as well as from beneath and around solar panels, where leaves, needles, and other combustible materials can accumulate.

Trees do not need to be removed, but ensure any branches are cut back to at least 5 feet from the home and 10 ft from chimneys and stovepipe outlets. Remove any dead branches.

Replace wood fences in the first 5 ft from the home with fences made of metal or concrete.

Avoid storing combustible items near the home (furniture, woodpiles, sheds, etc).

Keep it lean, clean, and green

Remove dead vegetation and regularly clear dead or dry vegetation and create space between trees.

Trim trees regularly to keep branches a minimum of 10 feet from other trees and branches 6ft from the ground (or 1/3 of the tree height).

Make sure shrubs and bushes are well spaced (at least 2x the size of the plant).

Avoid storing combustible items near the home (furniture, woodpiles, sheds, etc).

Space it out

Cut or mow grass down to a maximum height of four inches.

Create horizontal and vertical space between grass, shrubs, and trees.

Remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones, and small branches. However, they may be permitted to a depth of three inches.

Store wood piles 30’ from structures and keep 10 feet of clearance around exposed wood piles, down to bare mineral soil, in all directions.

Clear areas around outbuildings and propane tanks. Keep 10 feet of clearance to bare mineral soil and no flammable vegetation for an additional 10 feet around their exterior.