DEALING WITH VEGETATION AND COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS
Protecting Your Property from Fire
FEMA
April 2008

If the area immediately surrounding your property contains yard 
debris, trees, shrubs, other vegetation or materials that burn 
easily, your property will be at an increased risk of damage during 
wildfires and forest fires. These combustible materials provide a 
path by which fire from nearby areas can reach your property. 

As shown in the figure, keep clear the area around your property. 
Shrubs, brush, woodpiles, and combustible debris located within a 
radius of 30 feet should be removed. The distance between your 
property and any nearby tree should always be greater than the 
height of the mature tree or at least 10 feet. Similarly, any 
outbuildings, such as storage sheds, should be at least as far away 
as their height. 

BENEFITS OF UTILIZING THIS MITIGATION STRATEGY

* Helps to prevent damage to structures and vegetation due to fire

* Helps to prevent injuries to occupants

TIPS 

Keep these points in mind when you remove vegetation and other 
combustible materials: 

* Removing large trees near your property can be very dangerous, for 
both you and your property. Tree removal is a job for a skilled 
contractor. 

* Rather than plant shrubs near your property, consider landscaping 
alternatives such as creating a rock garden.

ESTIMATED COST 

If you hire a contractor to remove a large tree, you can expect to 
pay about $1,000 to $1,500. The charge for removing smaller trees 
and shrubs would be less. 

OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION 

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), http://www.flash.org. 

Firewise Communities, http://www.firewise.org.  

"Five Hot Tips for Homeowners on the Edge," by Herbert McLean, in 
American Forest, vol. 99, no. 5-6. May-June 1993, 
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1016_v99/ai_14177979. 

Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), 
http://www.disastersafety.org. 

Interagency Wildfire Mitigation Program, Rocky Mountain Wildland 
Fire Information, Colorado State Forest Service, the U.S. Department 
of the Interior Bureau of Land Management, and supporting partners, 
http://rockymountainwildlandfire.info/firewise/index.htm. 

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), http://www.nfpa.org.