What is inside it
The zone includes the roof, gutters, siding, vents, decks and fences, plus plants, woodpiles, mulch, patio furniture and stored materials near them. In Nevada, the University of Nevada, Reno Extension's Living With Fire guide splits the zone into three bands: Zone 0 at 0 to 5 feet, Zone 1 at 5 to 30 feet and Zone 2 at 30 to 100 feet. See what is defensible space.
The idea behind it is that fire reaches a house by flames, radiant heat or embers, and the owner controls what is there to catch.
Why it matters in Northern Nevada
Much of the Truckee Meadows, Carson Valley and the Tahoe Basin sits at the edge of wildland fuels (see wildland-urban interface). The USDA Forest Service's Wildfire Risk to Communities data puts many local places higher than most US communities. Trees close to the house, limbs over the roof and shrubs against the siding are things an owner can change. See wildfire risk to homes in Northern Nevada.
What an arborist does about it
Battle Born's defensible space and fire mitigation work is tree and brush work inside this zone: removing dead trees and limbs, limbing up, thinning crowns and clearing brush. The arborist walks the property, explains which trees and shrubs raise the risk, and writes up the work. See defensible space and fire mitigation.
A simple test from the guide: stand at the house and look at what touches it or hangs over it. A branch on the roof, a shrub under a window and a woodpile on the deck are the first things to change.
Sources
- University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Living With Fire (SP-23-07) (read October 17, 2026)
- USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities (read October 17, 2026)