Firebreaks and Clearing Underbrush, Let’s Talk About It

One of the leading problems faced with hurricane season is the strong winds that are generated. These winds can cause destruction on their own, but when mixed with a fire, the results can be catastrophic. A few ways that the Tree Masters recommend preventing the chance of a fire from wind is implementing fire breaks and clearing underbrush. Today we will be discussing the importance of both to ensure the safety of ourselves and our neighbors. 

What is a Fire Break?

A firebreak is a designated area or strip of land that has been cleared of combustible materials and vegetation. This barrier creates a gap between a fire and a potential fire source. 

Different variations of fire breaks can be created through controlled burning or manually clearing vegetation. Fire breaks help with wildfire prevention, fire containment, protection of infrastructure, ecosystem management, and public safety. 

WildFire Prevention:

• Buffer zones are created to reduce the chance of wildfires and help stop the spread. 

• These designated areas help to effectively interrupt fuel sources and prevent flames from jumping and gaining momentum.

Fire Containment:

• Controls fires to keep firefighters safe and in line.

• Can slow down or halt a fire before it gets out of hand.

Protection of Infrastructure:

• Firebreaks are purposefully set up around homes, powerlines, roads, and other important structures.

• These barriers will keep the structures safe as well as the people inside, or at the very least give people more time to get to safety. 

Ecosystem Management:

• Fires cause a big risk to local ecosystems by putting them at harm and have the potential to destroy them completely.

• Controlled burning and selective clearing can promote chances for overall healthier vegetation growth and maintain the ecological balance of an area. 

Public Safety:

• While we want to keep our neighborhoods safe, the people inside those homes are most important. Firebreaks can lower wildfire risk in highly populated areas.

• These breaks can be seen as a tactical advantage in managing and extinguishing a fire.

Can Firebreaks Be Dangerous?

While firebreaks are very important they also can be dangerous. It is important to note that poorly designed firebreaks can create potentially new problems. Accidents may occur if a firebreak is not carefully planned and maintained. While this is a great way to have community preparedness in case of emergencies, firebreaks should always be done by professionals. 

How Can I Help From Home?

It is not recommended to attempt firebreaks yourself. Professionals should always be put in charge of designing and performing them. But there are other ways that you can help from your home. 

Clearing underbrush is an excellent way that you can take action to stop the spread of wildfires from your own backyard. Underbrush refers to any small plants or vegetation under large trees. What makes these low-lying plants at high risk for wildfires is if the plants are dry or dead. The underbrush provides fuel to the flame and can intensify the spread of a fire. Taking the time to inspect your property for unnecessary underbrush is a great way to help reduce the risks of wildfires. You can clear or thin this underbrush by removing the small plants or pruning down any dead vegetation. Implementing these practices limits the stress of everyone in the neighborhood and helps keep everyone safe.