What is Defensible Space?
CAL FIRE defines Defensible Space as the buffer between your structure and the surrounding area. Adequate defensible space acts as a barrier to slow or halt the progress of fire that would otherwise engulf your property. It also helps ensure the safety of firefighters defending your home. Defensible Space is the first line of defense for your home against wildfire.
In this short video, you can see how the spacing and type of native and ornamental vegetation contribute to structure ignition. In the video, there are two trees, one that catches on fire and another that doesn’t. The video demonstrates the complexity in determining if one tree is more wildfire safe than the other, or are there other influences going on, including wind, ladder fuels, tree biological and chemical characteristics, live or dead material, or leaf and needle physical characteristics?
Defensible Space Points:
- Spacing trees
- Separated Clusters of vegetation
- Break the connective fuels
- Types of trees and vegetation.
- List of recommended vegetation
- Limbing up for ground fires
For those who wish to delve a little deeper, an article in The Conversation (CLICK HERE) is worth reading. It explains that although we are making great strides in the modeling and science of home hardening, defensible space and vegetation pose a much more challenging task to model.
CLICK HERE for some interesting commentary on by Michel Thouati, on The Conversation article.
When looking at photos and videos of wildfire focus on what is NOT burning.
Thanks to KTLA 5 for the use of the video below.
