Widener Agency · Oregon family resource
Home Defensible Space & Home Hardening Checklist
A zone-by-zone Oregon checklist for embers, vegetation, access, and practical building improvements.The home and 0–5 feet — Immediate Zone
- Remove leaves, needles, and debris from the roof and gutters.
- Repair loose roofing, siding, screens, and gaps where embers could enter.
- Use noncombustible gravel, rock, or pavers next to the structure; remove bark mulch and combustible items.
- Clear debris from decks, patios, and below deck areas.
- Consider ember-resistant vents, ignition-resistant exterior materials, and noncombustible fence sections next to the home.
5–30 feet — Intermediate Zone
- Keep grass short and remove dead plants, fallen branches, and accumulated litter.
- Space vegetation and break up continuous fuel paths to the structure.
- Prune lower tree branches and remove brush that can carry fire into tree crowns.
- Move firewood, spare lumber, propane cylinders, and other combustibles away from structures.
30–100+ feet — Extended Zone and access
- Thin or space trees and shrubs as appropriate for the site, slope, and local guidance.
- Remove heavy ground litter, deadwood, and ladder fuels.
- Maintain access for emergency apparatus, keep gates operable, and trim overhead vegetation.
- Install reflective address numbers visible from both travel directions.
- Include sheds, barns, fences, and other outbuildings in the plan.
Check before work
- Request OSFM's free education-focused defensible-space assessment.
- Ask the local building department which permits or locally adopted wildfire codes apply before construction.
- Check current ODF and local fire restrictions before mowing dry grass, grinding, burning, or using spark-producing equipment.