Defensible space is the area between a house and an oncoming wildfire that acts as a buffer that slows the fire and provides an opportunity for firefighters to defend the home. Defensible space is created and maintained through the proper management and modification of vegetation in the area immediately surrounding your home.
Through creating and maintaining defensible space, wildfires can be slowed down, the length of flames shortened, and the amount of heat reduced, all of which contribute to whether a home survives a wildfire.
Additional resources about defensible space
- A video on how to make your home and property fire-safe.
- Ten frequently asked questions about defensible space answers common questions about what defensible space is, why it’s important, and how to make your property defensible.
- Ten Tips to Keep Your Home Free from Fire Poster provides a visual guide of defensible space and a checklist of ten tips to protect your home from wildfire.
- An extensive, 36-page guide to Defensible Space and Fuel Reduction by OSU covering topics such as fuels reduction: where, what, and when and seasonal task guides to maintaining defensible space.
