Defensible Space - An Ounce of Prevention…

Things We Can Do To Protect Our Truckee Real Estate

As we are all aware, fires have been raging all over California. While we have been safe in Truckee, we have certainly been aware of the fires with our smoky skies and warnings from health officials to stay indoors and limit our outdoor activities. Below are Defensible Space recommendations provided by the Tahoe Donner Forestry Department. If you don’t have time to do the work yourselves, there are many resources that you can hire to get the job done.

Check list of fire safety items around your home -

Residence:

• Pine needles must be removed from the roof of all structures
• Pine needles on the ground must be removed within 10 feet of all structures
• Limbs must be removed from within 10 feet of the chimney
• Chimney must have an approved spark arrestor
• Ten feet of clearance required around the propane tank
• Firewood and lumber must be stacked away from the residence
• The address of the residence must be clearly visible

100-feet or to Property Line:

• All dry, flammable vegetation and woody debris less than 12 inches in diameter must be removed
• Dead and/or beetle infested trees must be removed
• The areas of contiguous brush must be broken up
• Excessively dense tree cover must be thinned
• Remove the lower branches, six feet from the ground, on trees over 12 feet tall. On shorter trees remove the lower branches to 1/2 the height of the tree
• All dead plants or grasses must be cut to a height of six inches or less

If you would like help with your property concerning tree health or fire safety please call the Tahoe Donner Forestry Department at (530) 587-9432 or e-mail forestry@tahoedonner.com

Let’s all do what we can to keep our neighborhoods safe. Thank you!