Brush your land now to avoid fires during the summer

Find on the site georisques.gouv.fr all practical information on clearing operations. It is an effective preventive measure to reduce the number and impact of forest and vegetation fires. The ideal period is winter period. However, brush clearing can be done all year round.

Brush clearing consists in reducing the mass of plant material of all kinds (grasses, branches, leaves, etc.) on a plot of land to create discontinuities between:

• tall vegetation (shrubs and trees) and low vegetation (grasses, plants, etc.);
• plants of the same size;
• plants and buildings.

These discontinuities make it possible to reduce the risk of fire, and in the event of fire to slow down the spread of the latter and to reduce its intensity. The further a tree is from a dwelling or other tree, the more difficult it will be for the fire to spread; and generally speaking, the less combustible material there is, the less powerful the fire will be.

In certain areas particularly exposed to the risk of forest fires, clearing is mandatory under penalty of administrative or even criminal penalties. Even if your land is not subject to the legal obligation to clear brush, it is still recommended if your home is close to a wooded area. Brush clearing helps protect your home. In the event of a fire, you can stay confined for the necessary time without putting yourself in danger by taking your car for example.

How to clear your land?

To properly clear your land, you must:

• remove shrubs under trees;
• cutting branches or trees in contact with your home;
• reduce the mass of plants on the ground;
• trim your hedges;
• pruning the lower branches of trees;
• do not store green waste from brush clearing.

Brush clearing must be carried out every year. It is advisable to carry out the actions of cutting trees and shrubs during the winter; the operations on the low vegetation can, for their part, be carried out until the end of spring. You can also call on a professional, who has the necessary knowledge and tools.