Primary Fuel Breaks
The first area to focus on around the home is the area 30-50 feet from the structure’s walls or connected structures, known as the primary fuel break (technically, no fuel break needs to extend beyond the property line). A correctly developed fuel break should slow the rate of spread and the intensity of an advancing wildfire, and create an area in which fire suppression operations may safely occur.
Fuel breaks may use natural firebreaks (rock outcroppings, ponds or other water bodies) or may completely man-made. Either way, your primary fuel break should exhibit the following characteristics:
- Ground cover should be substantially non-flammable. Examples include: asphalt, bare soil, clover, concrete, green grass, ivy, mulches, rock, succulent ground cover or wildflowers.
- Dry grass should be cut to a height of less than four inches.
- Cut grass, leaves, needles, twigs and similar small vegetative debris should be broken up so that a continuous fuel bed is not created.
- Shrubs and trees should be maintained in a green condition, be substantially free of dead plant material, and have any potential “ladder fuels” removed.
- Trees and shrubs should also be arranged so that fire cannot spread or jump from plant to plant. Some thinning may be necessary to accomplish this.
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