Firebreaks And Their Importance
With the wildfire threat here in Northern California it’s extremely important to create defensible space around your home and firebreaks around your property. A firebreak is a strip of land that has been cleared of vegetation to prevent a fire from spreading. Weeds, brush, bushes, and small trees are completely cleared for approximately a thirty foot wide strip of land. Larger trees are sometimes left in place within some types of firebreaks but the undergrowth from the trees is trimmed to about ten to twelve feet. Firebreaks can help protect farms, orchards, office buildings, apartment complexes, housing communities, backyards, and practically any property with dense brush or trees. All fire breaks should follow the established practices of CAL FIRE.
Proper firebreaks can significantly offset the cost of maintaining the fire break. Commercial, agricultural, and residential properties are helped by a reduction in the property damages caused by wildfires… not to mention the lives saved. Even though firebreaks have helped stop many wildfires from spreading, they don’t work 100% of the time. Often they have to be backed up with other firefighting efforts. That said, let’s be realistic. Would you rather live in a home with dense forest and vegetation all around it or a home with 100 feet of defensible space around it and a 30 foot firebreak around the edge of the property? Anyone in Northern California who’s seen the devastation wildfires can cause would pick the latter. Plus how much would you save in fire insurance each year for having your property up to Cal Fire standards?
So when you’re ready to invest in putting a firebreak around your property go ahead and call Nevada County Brush Clearing and Fire Abatement. We can trim up any large trees and remove all vegetation including small trees, shrubs, brush, and weeds using a large masticator. If you’re not familiar it’s like a tractor with rotating teeth in front that mulches practically any plant material it touches. Fallen trees can be chopped up and removed as well. Give us a call today and we’ll come out to your property for a free evaluation.