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How defensible is your property?

Walk your lot with this list on your phone and tick what is already done. You will see exactly where the gaps are — and you can send the leftovers straight to Bryan for a free estimate.

The three zones, in plain English

California asks homeowners in wildfire areas to keep a cleared buffer around the house, measured out to 100 feet where the property allows. It is split into three zones, and the closer the zone, the stricter it gets.

The point is not a tidy yard. It is giving a fire nothing to climb on as it approaches the house, and giving firefighters somewhere safe to stand if they defend it.

0
ZONE

The first 5 feet

The ember zone. Most homes are lost to embers landing here, not to a wall of flame.

1
ZONE

5 to 30 feet

The lean, clean and green zone. Plants are fine here — continuous fuel is not.

2
ZONE

30 to 100 feet

The reduced fuel zone. Thinned rather than cleared — the goal is to slow a fire down.

This checklist is a plain-English guide to help you see where your property stands. It is not a legal inspection. For the official requirements, and for anything that affects insurance, check with CAL FIRE, Tuolumne County Fire and your own insurer.
Why this matters here

We live in a forest, and the forest keeps growing

Pine, cedar and oak drop something every month of the year. A property that was clear three summers ago is rarely clear now — needle litter builds up quietly until it is several inches deep.

  • Most homes lost in wildfire are ignited by embers landing on or near the house, not by the fire front itself.
  • Embers travel well ahead of a fire, which is why the first five feet matter more than the last fifty.
  • Clearing is not a one-off. It is seasonal work, like gutters — do it once and you still have to do it again.
The three defensible space zones around a home A view from above. The house sits at the centre of three rings measured outwards from its walls. Zone 0 is the first five feet and is kept completely clear. Zone 1 runs from five to thirty feet, with trees kept well apart. Zone 2 runs from thirty to one hundred feet and is thinned rather than cleared. Beyond that is untouched forest. HOME ZONE 2 · 30–100 FT ZONE 1 · 5–30 FT ZONE 0 · 0–5 FT Thinned, not cleared Lean, clean and green BEYOND 100 FT · OPEN FOREST
Getting it done

What a clearing job with Bryan looks like

The list above is a lot of work if you are doing it alone with a rake. Here is how it goes when he does it.

Walk the property together

You point out what worries you; Bryan points out what you may not have noticed. Bring your checklist if you filled one in.

A written price, zone by zone

Broken down so you can do all of it, or start with Zone 0 and work outward as budget allows.

The clearing work

Raking, limbing, thinning and brush cutting — working from the house outward, because the closest zone matters most.

Everything hauled away

Cut material is loaded and taken off the property. A brush pile left behind would defeat the entire point.

Send Bryan your list

Tick what is done, then send the rest over. He will come and look, free of charge, and tell you what it would take.

Call (209) 456-1846 Request a free estimate
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