Fire Season Prep
Defensible space & fire clearance in Sonora, CA.
100 feet of clearance, done to CAL FIRE standards and documented with before-and-after photos for your insurer. We clear brush, cut ladder fuels and haul every bit of it off your property.
The three zones we clear.
California's defensible space law breaks your property into three zones. We handle all three in one visit.
Zone 0 — 0 to 5 feet
Ember-resistant zone
- Remove all dead plants, weeds and bark mulch touching the structure
- Clear pine needles and leaves from the roof, gutters and deck boards
- Pull back shrubs and vines growing against siding
- Move firewood stacks, propane and combustible storage away from walls
Zone 1 — 5 to 30 feet
Lean, clean and green
- Mow annual grass down to 4 inches or less
- Remove dead branches, brush piles and star thistle
- Space shrubs so fire can't run continuously along the ground
- Trim tree limbs 6 to 10 feet up to break ladder fuels
Zone 2 — 30 to 100 feet
Reduced fuel zone
- Cut dry grass and weeds across the full 100-foot envelope
- Thin manzanita, buckbrush and blackberry thickets
- Create horizontal and vertical spacing between tree canopies
- Haul all cut material off site — nothing left in piles
Defensible space questions.
- How much defensible space does California require?
- State law requires 100 feet of defensible space around every structure, split into Zone 0 (0–5 ft), Zone 1 (5–30 ft) and Zone 2 (30–100 ft). If your property line is closer than 100 feet, you clear to the property line.
- When should I get defensible space work done in Tuolumne County?
- Book between March and early June. Grass cures out and fire restrictions tighten by late spring, and our calendar fills fast once CAL FIRE inspections start. Fall is the second-best window for pine needle and ladder-fuel work.
- Will this help with my homeowners insurance?
- Often yes. Carriers in Tuolumne and Calaveras County increasingly require documented clearance before renewal. We photograph before and after and can provide a written scope you can send to your insurer or adjuster.
- Do you haul away the brush?
- Yes. Everything we cut leaves with us unless you want chips left on site. Nothing gets stacked in a pile at the back of the lot — piles are fuel.
- What does defensible space clearing cost?
- Most quarter to half-acre residential lots run $600 to $1,800 depending on brush density, slope and access. Steep or heavily overgrown acreage is quoted after a walkthrough. Quotes are written and price-locked.
- Can you handle steep or hard-to-access lots?
- Yes. We work hillside properties around Phoenix Lake, Twain Harte and Mi-Wuk with hand crews and walk-behind equipment where a tractor can't go.
- I got a CAL FIRE or county notice. How fast can you get out?
- Call (209) 984-6729 and tell us the deadline on the notice. We prioritize compliance deadlines and can usually get a crew on site within a few days.
We clear defensible space across Sonora, Twain Harte, Jamestown, Columbia, Soulsbyville, Phoenix Lake and every town in our service area.