FireSmart Your Home

Protect Your Home

You can play a critical role in mitigating wildfire risks around their homes and properties by undertaking FireSmart activities. Simple measures, such as focussing on FireSmart’s three priority zones, can make a significant difference to the survivability of structures by decreasing the intensity of a wildfire and slowing its spread.

home ignition zone

Non-Combustible Zone (0 to 1.5 metres from a structure or home)

Remove combustible material (woody shrubs, dry grasses, etc.) down to mineral soil
Use non-combustible materials, such as gravel, brick or concrete, in areas adjacent to your home
Clear leaves and evergreen needles from gutters.

FireSmart Canada - Home Ignition Zone (PDF)

Priority Zone 1 (1.5 to 10 metres from a structure or home)

Avoid planting flammable trees and plants, such as cedar, spruce, juniper, pine and tall grasses
Keep lawns well-watered and mowed
Move firewood piles, construction materials, storage sheds and other potentially combustible structures into Priority Zone 2

Priority Zone 2 (10 to 30 metres from a structure of home)

Measure the distance between the outermost branches of trees to ensure a minimum of three meters between them
Remove small coniferous or evergreen trees that can act as a "ladder" for fire to reach treetops
Remove branches within two meters of the ground to help stop surface fires from moving into treetops

Clean up fallen branches, dry grasses and needles to eliminate potential surface fuels

Priority Zone 3 (30 to 100 metres from a structure of a home)
Thin and prune coniferous or evergreen trees to reduce excess vegetation and branches
Look for opportunities to create a fire break in this zone by creating space between trees

TIP: Complete the FireSmart home assessment to see what changes will make the greatest difference in reducing your home’s risk. You can download the assessment and other FireSmart resources at FireSmart.

pdf FireSmart Your Home (308 KB)

For more information on how to protect Your Home, visit Alberta Agriculture and Forestry: FireSmart

FireSmart Begins at Home Manual (PDF)