Defensible Space
Zones 0, 1, and 2 around your home
Oregon defensible space guidance calls for clearing and maintaining the area around structures in Oregon's high-risk areas. The zones are cumulative: the closer to the house, the stricter the standard.
Zone 0
0–5 feet
- Remove all dead plants, leaves, and pine needles from the ground and roof
- No bark mulch, wood chips, or combustible ground cover — use gravel, pavers, or bare soil
- Move firewood, propane tanks, and stored lumber at least 30 feet away
- Relocate potted plants and door mats made of combustible material
- Trim any branch overhanging the roof or within 10 feet of the chimney
Zone 1
5–30 feet
- Keep grass mowed to four inches or less through fire season
- Remove ladder fuels — clear brush growing under trees
- Space shrubs so fire cannot carry from one to the next
- Limb trees up 6 to 10 feet from the ground
- Clear dead vegetation and keep landscaping irrigated where possible
Zone 2
30–100 feet
- Thin trees so canopies are separated by at least 10 feet on level ground, more on slopes
- Cut annual grass down to a maximum height of four inches
- Remove fallen leaves, needles, and small branches to a depth of three inches
- Arrange safe disposal of downed material according to local guidance
- Keep exposed woodpiles clear of surrounding vegetation by 10 feet
Maintenance calendar
Late winter
Plan the year and order materials while contractors are available.
Spring
Cut grass before it cures, limb up trees, and clear winter storm debris.
Early summer
Final Zone 0 sweep before fire season. Clean gutters and roof valleys again.
Fire season
Weekly needle and leaf removal from roof, gutters, and Zone 0. Keep go-bags current.
Fall
Post-season cleanup, dispose of cut material safely, and note what to fix before next year.