Brush removal is a critical factor in controlling wildfires

Ask anyone in the Santa Barbara are what a top priority in landscape maintenance is and many will mention the importance of clearing brush to maintain a fire safe area around their property. Creating a defensible zone is a life and property saving measure that should be part of the general upkeep of the region’s landscapes.

What is a defensible zone?

In times of drought, fire is a major concern for those living in the Santa Barbara area. The Santa Ana winds here are forceful enough to push dangerous embers far into neighborhood, thus posing a risk for residents of the region. While masticating dry and dead plant material can be effective in controlling fire spread at the ground level—especially if firefighting forces are at the ready to prevent its reach between zones—homeowners are on the hook to enact their own defense plan.

Homes are safer from wildfire when they are enclosed within an envelope that is free of dead and dry landscape material such as trees, shrubs, and scrub that are past their lifespan or have suffered the effects of drought during the hotter months. “Flashy fuels” such as errant weeds, invasive species, and brush that are more ignitable than lush, water-holding plants are a prime culprit in the spread of wildfire and should be eliminated around a home’s perimeter. Local authorities recommend clearing at least thirty feet around a home’s perimeter to ensure safety from the spread of fire.