Ladder Fuel
Ladder fuel consists of living or dead vegetation like the lower branches on large trees, small trees, shrubs and tall grasses that grow under the canopy of the larger trees. This vegetation can easily catch fire under the right conditions and quickly climb up to the tree canopy. When this happens it makes it much more difficult for fire fighters to put out the blaze. Pine trees can increase the risk because they drop needles over the ladder fuel making it more flammable and likely to transfer the fire between the strata. Even wood piles or large wooden fences can cause this chain reaction and should be considered for proper fire safety.
If you have ladder fuel on your property it’s almost certain a wildfire would ignite the larger trees. So how do you solve this problem? Remove the ladder fuels, it’s that easy. California law requires 100′ of defensible space around homes and structures anyway. Plus removing the ladder fuels and creating defensible space on your property will most likely reduce your fire insurance costs. This process can be a lot of work though and you need to have the right tools to complete the project. Luckily there’s fire abatement companies that can help you with this well needed task.
So if you’re in the Northern California area call Nevada County Brush Clearing and Fire Abatement today for your free fire safety evaluation. We specialize in fire safety and firescaping to maximize the protection of the property from wildfires. Learn more about defensible space, removing ladder fuel, and creating firebreaks at this link. CalFire