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.
If you do place plants in this zone, plant only SMALL (less than 18-inches in height or width) "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.
