Defensible Space for Farms or Ranches

Defensible space describes the area surrounding a structure or asset where vegetation and combustible materials are carefully maintained to eliminate pathways that wildfire can burn directly to structures, reduce potential for ignition of nearby vegetation and combustible materials from embers, and provide a safe zone to easily evacuate and for firefighters to defend structures.

Preparing your defensible space does not have to be costly. You can use the Wildfire Preparedness for Farms, Ranches, and Agricultural Operations or Land Stewardship and Vegetation Fact Sheet to help you plan and implement a successful defensible space strategy.

A) Before and B) after implementation of the three-zone defensible space strategy.

Below are recommended actions you can? take to implement an effective defensible space strategy within different zones within 0-100 feet of your structures. Remember that Zone Zero (0-5 ft from structure) is the most critical part of an effective defensible space strategy.