Living in the “wild” is often
synonymous with living in the
Urban Wildland Interface (UWI). The
UWI is not a pre-determined
geographical area. Rather, it is a set
of conditions that exist when
combustible homes are built in a
combustible environment.
During the mid-80’s Texans began
migrating from the hustle and bustle
of living in the city, moving toward a
more peaceful setting in the wild.
While Texas’s wildland communities
have begun to grow, the volunteer
fire departments that serve these
areas haven’t experienced such a
growth and are often times under-
equipped and under-staffed and,
therefore, are unable to protect a
large number of homes when
threatened when a wildfire
approaches.
By taking a few simple steps to
create a defensible space around
your home, you can greatly reduce
the likelihood of a wildfire being
lured to your dream home.
Defensible space is an area
surrounding a home where the
vegetation, and sometimes the
structure itself, has been modified in
order to separate the “fuels” which a
wildfire feeds from.
Defensible space is designed to achieve
three benefits:
To allow firefighters the room to)1
perform the task at hand.
To give the structure opportunity)2
to survive a wildfire on it’s own
when firefighters cannot safely
attempt to defend it.
To stop a fire from spreading from)3
the structure to surrounding
vegetation.
To create a defensible space around
your home, follow these guidelines:
VEGETATION MODIFICATIONS
Within the designated defensible
R
space zone, thin trees and brush
cover so that the widest portions of
the tops are 10-15 feet apart.
Remove shrubs and smaller trees ifR
they are underneath larger trees.
Prune branches of trees to theR
height of 10 feet.
Isolate flowerbeds and surroundR
them with a non-flammable ground
cover.
Keep grasses well irrigated
and mowed to
approximately 2" or less.
Clear needles and leaves
from roofs and gutters.
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STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS
Use fire resistive building
materials, especially the roof.
Install chimney screens or
spark arrestors.
Enclose porches,
foundations and roof / attic
openings to prevent debris
from accumulating.
Post name and address in 3"
letters.
Provide adequate driveway
and turnaround space for
emergency vehicles.
Protect windows and glass
doors with fire resistant
drapes or internal shutters.
Develop external water
supplies such as cisterns, dry
hydrants, ponds and
swimming pools.
Store tools such as shovels,
axes, rakes, hoes and
especially connected garden
hoses for emergency use.
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