Defensible space, without losing your trees.

What is defensible space?

If your home is in a designated fire-hazard zone, California Public Resources Code §4291 requires you to maintain defensible space — a buffer of cleared and managed vegetation around any structure. Cal Fire inspectors check it. Insurance companies are increasingly checking it too, and some homeowners' policies in SLO and Santa Barbara counties now require photographic proof.

The three zones

Zone 0 · 0–5 ft from the structure

The strictest zone. Almost all combustible material removed: dry grass, dead vegetation, leaf litter, wood chips, mulch directly against siding. We clear right up to the foundation and around exterior fixtures.

Zone 1 · 5–30 ft

Short, well-irrigated vegetation only. Trees thinned and limbed up to break vertical fuel ladders. Spacing maintained between shrubs and tree canopies.

Zone 2 · 30–100 ft

Reduced fuel load, but not clear-cut. Brush thinned, dead material removed, low limbs cut. We aim for a healthy landscape, not a moonscape.

What's included

• Removal of dry grass, leaf litter, and dead vegetation in Zone 0
• Mowing and limbing in Zone 1, with care for the trees you want to keep
• Fuel reduction in Zone 2 — thinning, not clear-cutting
• Mulched debris left in place (haul-off available)
• Walk-through with you before we leave
• Photo documentation for your insurance file, on request

What we don't do

• Tree removal larger than 6" diameter — we'll refer you to a local arborist
• Burn pile permitting — you handle the local burn permit, we'll do the clearing
• Chemical herbicide application

New for 2026: We're bundling defensible space with house pressure washing as a "Fire-Prep Plus" package — knocks the dust and pine needles off your roof and eaves at the same time. See the bundle →