April 2022 News from the Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council

Posted on 04/19/2022

BRUSH CLEARANCE AND MAINTAINING DEFENSIBLE SPACE
Here are some answers to frequently asked homeowners questions regarding best practices to make their homes safer.

What is meant by defensible space and is more space better?
Defensible space refers to that area between a house and an oncoming wildfire where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire threat and which provides an opportunity for fire fighters to defend the house.

California state law requires 100 feet of clearance around a home - LAFD requires 200 feet of clearance. Through proper management of this defensible space, research has shown that property has a better chance of surviving a wildfire and the lives of firefighters can be saved.

Many people think more space is better but recent scientific research seems to indicate that distances larger than 100 feet do not provide additional protection. Embers can travel as far as five miles ahead of the active front of a wildfire and land on flammable roofs or in other flammable objects – as a result, the emphasis is now on home hardening and effective treatment closer to structures.

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