Professional Fire Clearance & Defensible Space in Salinas Valley
California law requires property owners in fire-prone areas to maintain defensible space around their structures — and for good reason. With Monterey County's dry summers, seasonal winds, and history of devastating wildfires, proper fire clearance is not just a legal obligation but a critical investment in the safety of your family, your home, and your neighbors. The Tree Man has been helping Salinas Valley property owners create and maintain defensible space for over four decades, and we understand exactly what CAL FIRE inspectors look for and what it takes to keep your property in full compliance.
Under California Public Resources Code (PRC) 4291, property owners must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around all structures, divided into two zones. Zone 1 extends 30 feet from your home and requires the most aggressive vegetation management: removing all dead plants, trimming tree branches at least 10 feet from chimneys and stovepipes, keeping trees pruned so that no branches hang within 10 feet of the ground near structures, and removing any vegetation that could act as a fire ladder between ground cover and tree canopies. Zone 2 extends from 30 to 100 feet and requires reducing vegetation density, removing dead material, and creating horizontal spacing between shrubs and trees so fire cannot easily spread from plant to plant.
The Tree Man handles every aspect of fire clearance work. We thin overgrown tree canopies to reduce fuel loads, remove dead and dying trees that are fire hazards, clear brush and undergrowth, limb up trees to eliminate ladder fuels, and chip or haul away all debris. For properties in the wildland-urban interface areas of Prunedale, Corral de Tierra, and the hills above Salinas, we create customized fire clearance plans that address the specific topography and vegetation patterns of your land while preserving the trees and landscaping that add value and beauty to your property.
Failing to maintain defensible space can result in fines, increased insurance premiums, or — in the worst case — denial of insurance coverage altogether. Many Monterey County homeowners have found that their insurance companies now require documented fire clearance as a condition of policy renewal. The Tree Man provides detailed documentation of all work performed, including before-and-after photos, that satisfies both CAL FIRE inspectors and insurance underwriters. Protect your property, stay compliant, and gain peace of mind by calling us for a free fire clearance assessment today.
Our Fire Clearance Services Include
- Full PRC 4291 compliance — Zone 1 and Zone 2 defensible space creation
- Dead tree and hazardous vegetation removal throughout your property
- Ladder fuel elimination — limbing up trees and clearing undergrowth
- Canopy thinning and spacing to reduce fire spread between trees
- Brush chipping and complete debris removal from the entire cleared area
- Before-and-after documentation for CAL FIRE and insurance requirements
- Annual maintenance programs to keep your property in year-round compliance