Tree Services
Defensible Space Clearing
Defensible space is the fuel-reduction work around your home that gives firefighters a chance and gives your house a chance to survive on its own. We clear to the CAL FIRE zones — ember-resistant right next to the house, lean and clean through the mid-zone, reduced fuel out to 100 feet. It's also what more and more insurers are asking homeowners to show.
Warning signs you need it
- Dead needles and leaves piled on the roof or in gutters
- Brush and ladder fuels touching the house or deck
- Low tree limbs that fire could climb into the canopy
- Continuous brush from the wildland right up to your yard
- Your insurer asked for a defensible-space inspection
- You're in or near a high fire-severity zone
How ADS does it safely
- Zone 0 (0–5 ft): remove flammable material from directly around the structure; clean gutters, decks, and under the eaves.
- Zone 1 (5–30 ft): lean and clean — space trees and shrubs, remove ladder fuels, limb up branches.
- Zone 2 (30–100 ft): reduce fuel — mow grass, thin brush, break up continuous fuel, space trees.
- We remove dead and beetle-killed trees that are the worst kind of fuel.
- We chip and haul the brush, or leave it per your cleanup choice.
Your choice
Three cleanup options on this quote
Every ADS quote comes with three levels. You pick what fits your budget and your yard.
Full-service
Everything removed and hauled away. We leave the site clean and raked.
Wood left on site
Brush chipped and hauled; rounds left behind for your firewood.
Basic
Tree brought down safely. You handle the cleanup and save on the quote.
FAQ
Defensible Space Clearing questions
Related services
Get a free estimate
Tell us about the tree and the town. You'll get a written quote with three cleanup options — and 10% off the work.
10% off any tree service
CA Lic. #1130109 · Licensed & insured · 2-year call-back guarantee
CAL FIRE zones
The three zones around your home
Zone 0
0–5 ft
Ember-resistant
Remove flammable material from directly around the structure. Clean gutters, decks, and under the eaves. Use hardscape or low-water ground cover.
Zone 1
5–30 ft
Lean and clean
Space trees and shrubs, remove ladder fuels, limb up branches. Keep it lean — less fuel, well-spaced.
Zone 2
30–100 ft
Reduced fuel
Mow grass, thin brush, break up continuous fuel, and space trees so fire can't move through it.
We'll walk the actual zones on your property at the estimate. See defensible space in Caldor Fire country →