Sometimes it feels as though rapidly spreading wildfires are just an inevitable part of life here in California. But there are definitely steps you can take to protect your home from providing kindling to these events. If a fire is located near your neighborhood, cleaning up your trees and yard can discourage any stray sparks that head your way.

Inspect your yard for obvious fire risk factors, such as:

• Trees that are excessively dry or have lost a lot of leaves
• Trees that have been losing limbs due to dryness or brittleness
• Trees with frail bark that is dropping
• Trees with fungal growth or rot (because it weakens trees)

If you notice these signs in any of your trees, it is probably dying and needs to be removed anyway. But that’s especially true in our area, where wildfire is such a danger.

Some less obvious, but equally important signs of fire risk include:

• Trees that are closer than 10 feet apart, or closer than 10 feet from your home
• Trees on a moderate slope that are closer than 20 feet apart from one another
• Trees closer than 30 feet apart on a steep slope

When tree limbs are closer than the above rules, they should be trimmed back to allow for more air space between each tree. Overcrowded underbrush and bushes should also receive some pruning attention. The idea is to prevent fire from spreading quickly, so that the fire department has time to respond before the flames reach your house.

Finally, remember to create a buffer zone around your home. Remove dead or dry vegetation, and trim back tree branches and shrubs so that they’re not encroaching upon the structure. Keep your lawn mowed to four inches or below, too.

If you do notice fire risks around your home, give us a call about tree trimming or tree removal services. We can help you keep your home safe while making the yard more attractive at the same time.