DIY guideWildfire
Clear the ground around the house for wildfire
Keep the first five feet round the house free of anything an ember can light, move what burns away from the walls, and trim plants back.
- 1 hr to 4 hr
- 6 steps
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6 steps
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Rake dead leaves, needles and dry grass away from the walls, about five feet (1.5 metres) out all round.
Never burn what you rake up: bag it, or take it to yard waste.In that strip, replace bark mulch with gravel or stone, and keep only green, watered plants.
Move firewood, lumber, doormats, cushions and bins away from the walls and out from under the deck.
Cut shrubs back so none touch the house, and trim the low branches off nearby trees.
Rake again through the dry season, and after windy days.
Leaves and needles on the roof and in high gutters catch embers too. A single-storey gutter can be cleared from a ladder; the roof itself is a pro's job.
What you need
- A rake and leaf bags
- Gravel or stone, for the strip by the walls
- Pruners or loppers
- Work gloves
Call a pro if
- Leaves or needles on the roof or in high gutters
- Trees with branches over the house
- Dry brush or dead trees near the house
Handyman says: Stay off the roof. I'll find a pro.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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