Cut It Now Or It'll Burn Later!

The winter and spring rains result in a lot of vegetation. But as temperatures climb, the vegetation dries out and becomes a
serious fire risk. Don't let your home or property fall victim to a brush fire. Be sure to maintain your property and landscaping
in a fire-wise condition. 

• Keep weeds and grass cut. 

• Remove dead and piled up vegetation, and dispose of it properly. 

• Properly dispose of trash and debris. Piles of refuse such as old furniture, boxes and pallets are fires waiting to happen.
  Even old cars can burn! 

• Stack firewood away from structures, fences or anything else that may be combustible. 
  

If you live in an outlying or more rural area, consider these additional steps: 

• Create at least a 30-ft. safety zone or firebreak around your home. 

• Limit the use of flammable plants in landscape design. Choose fire resistant varieties. 

• Plant trees and large shrubs in sparse, separate areas. 

• Limit the use of trees and shrubs that have large volumes of foliage and branches. 

• Limit the use of plants that have shaggy bark or dry leaves that shed annually. 

• Limit the use of plants that develop dry or dead undergrowth. 

• Limit the placement of plants next to structures, under eaves, overhangs, decks, etc. 

• Limit the use of plants placed at the bases of trees or large shrubs. 

• Remove ladder fuels (plants that provide a link between the ground and tree limbs). 
  

Maintenance Hints: 

• Conduct regular maintenance to reduce the opportunity for brush fires. 

• Remove low hanging branches. Also, remove tree limbs around chimneys. 

• Keep the roof clear. Sweep gutters and eaves, and wash the roof on a regular basis to get rid of dry needles and leaves. 

• Control the height of ground vegetation and mow the grass often. 

• Remove dead and accumulated vegetation, and dispose of it properly. 

• Provide enough water to keep plants healthy and green. Keep irrigation systems in good working order. 

• Top trees only when necessary as topping creates too many lower branches that can increase the fire danger. 

• Remove or thin the dead wood and the older trees beyond 100 feet from the house. 

• Store and use flammable liquids properly. 

• ALWAYS dispose of cigarettes carefully.