FIRE FUEL REDUCTION SERVICES

Fire fuel reduction projects and vegetation management is a critically important issue in Northern California. Reducing fire fuel is a proven means of lessening the impact of wildfire on homes, businesses and lands. Fire is a fact of life in Northern California but you can do something about it and we can help.

The goal of fire fuel reduction services is to remove enough vegetation 'fuel' so that when a wildfire burns, it is less severe and can be more easily managed. In the case of one of our recent customers in the Camp Fire area near Paradise, it saved his home. We will be posting his story soon.

The below excerpt is taken from the Cal-Fire website:

"In January 2005 a new state law became effective that extended the defensible space clearance around homes and structures from 30 feet to 100 feet. Proper clearance to 100 feet dramatically increases the chance of your house surviving a wildfire. This defensible space also provides for firefighter safety when protecting homes during a wildland fire."

When vegetation fire fuel accumulates it allows fire to burn hotter and faster. When fire burns into areas of continuous brush and small trees, it burns these “ladder fuels” creating a more dangerous situation to people, property and animals. The fire moves easily from the ground to the trees potentially creating a more hazardous crown fire.

Hazard fuel reduction projects address both surface and ladder fuels. In some cases it also requires the thinning out densely populated tree stands while preserving more mature trees. Thinning trees in densely forested areas, removing underbrush, and limbing trees are done using both hand crews and machines depending on the terrain and need. Cut or previously dead and fallen material is ground into chips and removed leaving the area