Adequate spacing between vegetation and between combustible materials is crucial to reduce the spread of wildfires.
There are two types of spacing to be aware of.
1. VERTICAL SPACING:
- Remove all tree branches at least 5 feet from the ground
- Shrubs can act as a fire ladder or bridge that spreads fire to trees so, maintain adequate spacing between shrubs and trees.
- Maintain at leas a minimum vertical clearance of 3 times a shrubs height underneath the canopy of trees.
2. HORIZONTAL SPACING:
Horizontal spacing depends on the slope of the land and the height of the shrubs or trees. Since fire moves faster up slope, greater plant and tree spacing is required on steeper slopes.
- For flat to moderate slope of less than 20%, keep spacing between shrubs at a distance of at least twice the shrub’s width and keep spacing between trees at least 10 feet.
- For mild to moderate slopes of 20% to 40%, keep spacing between shrubs at a distance of at least four times the shrub’s width and keep spacing between trees at least 20 feet.