25
Oct

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Fuelbreaks and firebreaks can be created in any zone. You’re likely to see them in Zones 2 and 3, which means there is a lot of work you could potentially do. The great news is these breaks require little effort on your part.
Zone 3 is one the most important areas you’ll want to concentrate on. You’ll follow the tips for Zone 2 to create a defensible space to slow down the risk of wildfires.

Creating a Shaded Fuelbreak in Zone 3

If your land is more than an acre wide, you’ll fall into Zone 3. This will often have some roads or trails running through, and you can use these to create shaded fuelbreaks without a lot of trouble. Streams and rocky areas can also be beneficial for creating these shaded breaks.

You’re going to follow the same tips as in Zone 2 when it comes to thinning the trees. The aim is to reduce the intensity of the fires and slow down the spread. You make a defensible area to help firefighters.

The main maintenance for this area is getting rid of the weeds. Take steps to manage the weed growth, and even prevent the growth of the pests around the area. You’ll want to create a 200ft wide space on average, but if you’re on a steep slope or you have tall trees, you’ll want to consider a 300ft space.

Creating a Firebreak in the Area

It’s easy to confuse fuelbreak and firebreak. The two terms are often incorrectly used interchangeably. While fuelbreaks will cut down on items that can spread a fire quickly, a firebreak is aiming to get rid of anything that can burn to be able to stop the fire completely.

You want to get right down to the mineral soil in many cases. This stops the surface fires in their tracks, meaning you can keep some greenery around your house without too much of a concern. You want to create that break up to around two to three times the height of any shrubs or grasses nearby, which means you’re looking at something between five and 15 feet in width.

Firebreaks are also great for firetrucks. You create a space for them to drive and park on. This helps to get the emergency services out much closer to the fire to tackle it better.

You will need to do some maintenance, though. Firebreaks need to have all fuel removed, including all weeds. It’s important to do annual maintenance to get rid of anything that grows. This is even if you have rocks and gravel around your home as weeds can grow through them. Do opt for gravel or crushed rocks about three to five feet around your home to help stop the fire spreading.