The guide

Weeds and dry grass are fine fuels; controlling them and creating defensible space protects your home in our wildfire-prone landscape.

• Think in defensible-space zones: keep the first 5 ft non-combustible (gravel/rock), then thin and space plantings outward.
• Mow and trim grasses low near the home and remove dead annuals, dry stems and litter.
• Use gravel/rock mulch near structures; keep organic mulch shallow and farther from the house.
• Control weeds with a mix of mulch, mowing, hand-pulling and label-compliant herbicide; prevent annual weeds from seeding.
• Maintain it year-round - fire-safe landscaping is upkeep, not a one-time job.