Defensible Space Services in Santa Cruz County
Sawyers Forestry offers expert, specialized, and experienced Defensible Space services throughout the Santa Cruz, Monterey, and South Bay areas.
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With more than 10 years focused on protecting properties in our own backyard, we offer everything you need to meet PRC § 4291 Compliance.
California State law requires that you maintain 100 feet of Defensible Space around your home and outbuildings. PRC § 4291
What is Defensible Space?
Defensible Space is a buffer zone around your home or other structures on your property that is designed and maintained to reduce the risk of wildfire damage.
By clearing away flammable vegetation, reducing canopies, and thinning trees, Defensible Space zones create a barrier that helps protect structures from the spread of fire.
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California State law requires that you maintain 100 feet of Defensible Space around your home and outbuildings, as per PRC § 4291.
Defensible Space Zones
Strategically designed areas around structures, cleared of flammable vegetation, to minimize wildfire risks and protect against fire spread.
Zone 0
Extends 5 feet from buildings & structures
This area surrounds structures and demands meticulous attention in maintaining a clear space.
Removing flammable materials, such as dry leaves, debris, and combustible vegetation, is vital to prevent direct ignition from embers and radiant heat.
Zone 1
Extends from 5 feet to 30 feet
Zone 1 requires careful vegetation management. Properly spacing trees and shrubs prevents fire from climbing into the canopy.
Regularly removing dead or dying plants and choosing fire-resistant landscaping, including non-flammable mulches and well-irrigated plants, reduces fire intensity and limits ember accumulation.
Zone 2
Extends from 30 feet to 100 feet
Zone 2 focuses on balancing vegetation and spacing. Thinning trees to reduce density and eliminating ladder fuels that could carry fire into the treetops is important.
Establishing strategic spacing to hinder fire spread and minimize potential for crown fires serves as a buffer, slowing wildfire advancement and aiding firefighting efforts.
Plant and Tree Spacing
Optimal spacing between grass, shrubs, and trees plays a vital role in slowing and reducing the spread of wildfires.
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An absolute minimum of 6 feet of clearance from the ground is required for all tree limbs within any of the Defensible Space Zones. However, it's important to note that this minimum is variable and can depend on several surrounding circumstances.
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Any shrubs, brush, or fence-lines that sit beneath canopies necessitates further limbing to ensure proper clearance from ground fuels. In addition, slope angles change the requirements for both vertical clearance and horizontal spacing between brush and trees.
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Sawyers Forestry Co. has a deep understanding of all the regulation & safety requirements needed to keep your property compliant and your home safe.
Roadsides & Evacuation Routes
Keeping your driveway & roadsides clear of wildfire fuels is important both as an evacuation route and for providing essential access to firefighters if needed to protect your home and surrounding structures.
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Driveways should have 14 feet of vertical clearance to enable firefighting equipment to enter the property.
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Roadsides should also be kept free of wildfire fuels to help ensure an unobstructed emergency evacuation route.
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Contact us today to keep your property accessible when it matters most.
Home Insurance Discounts
In addition to keeping your home safe and meeting PRC § 4291 compliance in high fire risk zones, you may also be able to save money on your property insurance.
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Several residential property insurance providers currently offer discounted rates to properties with fire-hardened homes and proper Defensible Space zones in place.
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Contact us today to get your property's Defensible Space.
AB-38 Disclosure Requirements
California Assembly Bill 38 requires the seller of a residential property in high fire-risk zones to submit documentation of Defensible Space compliance prior to the close of escrow.
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Our specialized services align seamlessly with AB-38's requirements, offering tailored solutions to create effective defensible space zones that fortify homes against wildfire risks. As dedicated experts in the field, we understand the critical role that proactive measures play in mitigating fire danger and ensuring homeowner safety.
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Contact us today to get your property ready for sale.
