The checklist
Defensible space, ring by ring
Defensible space is trimming and clearing around the house. It's yours, a landscaper's or your fire agency's. We don't certify it.
- 01
Against the walls
Zero to five feet.
Rock or decomposed granite in place of bark mulch
Metal, not wood, where a fence meets the house
Nothing stored under a deck
Needles and leaves swept off the roof and out of the gutters
- 02
Around the house
Five to thirty feet.
Low branches trimmed and shrubs spaced apart
Woodpiles, sheds and outbuildings moved out to thirty feet
Dead plants and dry grass cleared
Trees kept clear of the chimney
- 03
The wider lot
Thirty feet and beyond.
Brush thinned to your fire agency's distance
Dead limbs and downed wood hauled off
Driveway and gate wide enough for an engine
- 04
On the roof
The ring we do.
Gutters cleared before fire season
Every vent screened with metal mesh
Branches cut back from the roof edge
Roof surface and valleys cleared of debris
The gutter
The one item that's on the roof and in the yard
Gutters collect what the yard sheds, so a clear gutter belongs on both lists.
Dry needles and leaves in a gutter sit against the fascia and under the first row of roofing. Clearing them before fire season takes minutes. We do it as part of any job and we'll do it on its own.
Gutters and valleys cleared
Metal gutters or guards, where the roof suits them
A note of what we found, with a photo
Defensible-space questions
Do you inspect defensible space?
No. Your fire agency or your insurer's inspector does. We cover the roof ring, and we give you this list for the rest.
How far out do the rules go?
It depends on where you live. Ask your local fire agency which rule applies to your address; this list is a guide, not a ruling.
Can you recommend someone for trimming and clearing?
We can tell you what to ask for, but we don't send other trades. A landscaper or your fire agency can do the work.
Take the roof ring off your list
We clear the gutters, screen the vents and cut back the edge, and photograph each step.