Landscaping in the Immediate Zone

In the first 5 to 10 feet around your home or business:

• Create a "fuel-free" zone around any structure, including decks and outbuildings. Remove bark mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, combustible storage, firewood piles - anything that can burn. Replace bark mulch with non-combustible products such as stone, finished compost (i.e. soils), or bare dirt. 
  • Never place bark mulch underneath decks or porches, or adjacent to wood siding or crawlspace vents!
• Plant only SMALL "fire-resistant" landscape plants when planting in this zone, and do not plant flammable plants within the first 5 feet of the home (It is prohibited in Ashland to plant, or allow to grow, select flammable plants within 30 feet of the home). 
• Frequently remove dead vegetation, dried leaves, pine needles, and ground debris accumulations within the first 5 feet of the home.
• Hardscaping features (e.g. stone, gravel, concrete) should be installed around the perimeter of the home whenever possible, to help keep the ground free of vegetation, ground litter, and debris.
• Trim away deciduous tree limbs that overhang the roof and rain gutters and prevent limbs from touching walls.
• Keep conifer and cypress branches a minimum of 10 feet away from all structures.