Does defensible space mean clear cutting?
No, Unfortunately, many people have a misconception that vegetation management involves clear cutting. Many homes have attractive, well-vegetated properties that also serve as effective defensible space. Does creating defensible space require any special skills or equipment? No. For the most part, common gardening and yard tools are all that is needed. A chipper, compost bin, or large trash dumpster may be useful in disposing of tree limbs. How big is an effective defensible space? Defensible space size is usually expressed as the distance from the house in which vegetation is managed to reduce the wildfire threat. The necessary distance for an effective defensible space is not the same for everyone, but varies by slope and type of wildland vegetation growing near the house. Does defensible space make a difference? Yes. Visits to the recent wildland fires in Colorado and New Mexico confirm that homes that have incorporated FireWise concepts are more likely to survive a wildfire. Struct
