WHAT IS A "FIRE FREE FIVE" LANDSCAPE?

During a wildfire, embers are lifted into the air and can travel significant distances before falling to the ground.  Still hot, they can land on roofs, in gutters, on decks and even stick into your siding.  Embers also accumulate near the base of buildings and can ignite dead leaves, trees, shrubs, wood mulch and other combustible landscape materials.  A small ground fire can quickly spread into siding, up trees, under eaves and onto the structure.

A Fire Free Five landscape is designed, installed, and maintained in a way that removes combustible landscape materials within five feet of a building to help protect the home or business from ember-based fires, or fires moving along the ground.

This guide is designed to aid you in envisioning, designing, and maintaining your "Fire Free Five" landscape. The Town of Vail would like to assist you in helping to protect your property in the event of a wildfire.  Did you know that funding is available to assist you with your project?  Visit the Town of Vail link to apply for funding now: www.vailgov.com/firefreefive

The "Fire Free Five" is the most critical part of landscaping to reduce wildfire risk, however it is not everything.  The landscaping around your property should be maintained in a way to prevent wildfire from spreading throughout your yard.  For more information on defensible space: www.vailgov.com/government/departments/fire/wildfire/defensible-space

 ZONE 1 (0-5’ FROM STRUCTURE) 

• Perennial plants and groundcovers only.
• Remove all combustible items including firewood, construction materials, lawn furniture, etc.
• Use non-combustible mulch or stone.
• Do not use space under decks for storage.

 ZONE 2 (5-30’ FROM STRUCTURE) 

• Remove bottom branches from lower 6 feet of trees.
• Remove all dead and diseased trees and shrubs.
• Thin out trees so there are 6-10 feet from crown to crown.
• Thin all shrubs to prevent continuous rows or areas where shrubs are planted below tree crowns.
• Mow native grasses or ground fuel to a height of 4 inches within 30" of the building.
• Use modern drip/spray irrigation heads/emitters.

 ZONE 3 (30’-100’ FROM STRUCTURE) 

• Remove bottom branches from lower 6 feet of trees. 
• Remove all dead and diseased trees and shrubs.
• Thin out trees so there are 6-10 feet from crown to crown.
• Thin all shrubs to prevent continuous rows or areas where shrubs are planted below tree crowns.