Grasses and weeds should be cut to four (4) inches or less to prevent fire from spreading. Ashland Municipal Code requires this to be done by June 15th of each year, and to maintain those heights throughout fire season (AMC9.04).
Water plants, trees and lawns to keep them from becoming dry.
Thin trees and shrubs to prevent interlocking canopies. Space trees at least 10 feet apart at branch tips, more if on a slope. Conifers are more flammable than deciduous trees.
Please Note!! - Ashland's Wildfire Safety Ordinanceprohibits the planting of Flammable plants within 30 feet of any structure, including structures on neighboring parcels. (Effective as of October 18, 2018. AMC18.3.10.100, AMC9.04).
Remove ladder fuels (vegetation under trees) so a surface fire cannot reach the crowns. The lowest limbs of trees should clear vegetation underneath the tree by three times (3x) the height of the undergrowth.
Remove lower branches on trees and shrubs to prevent fire on the ground from moving up into the crowns. A good rule of thumb is to prune to a minimum height of eight (8) feet on larger trees and 1/3 of the tree height on small trees.
Trim trees so foliage is no closer than 10 feet from the outlet of any chimney, roof line, eave, or wall.
Remove all cut vegetation, dead material, and debris from the property. This includes leaves and pine needles.
Use flower beds, walkways, rock walls, and watered lawns to break up the continuity of vegetation in this zone.
