Ladder fuels play a significant role in increasing wildfire danger in neighborhoods. Ladder fuels are vegetation, such as grasses, shrubs, or low tree branches, that allow fire to climb from the ground into the canopy of taller trees. When ladder fuels are present, they create a pathway for fire to intensify and spread rapidly, posing a greater risk to homes and communities. In neighborhoods, the presence of ladder fuels can increase the likelihood of a wildfire spreading from wildland areas into residential areas.
To protect from ladder fuel dangers, remove ladder fuels within 30 feet of structures to maintain a defensible space, then regularly thin and prune trees to remove dead and dying vegetation, and reduce density of shrubs and grasses.
Learn more about ladder fuels and maintaining defensible space
