Defensible Space & Fire Safety Services For Contra Costa County
Creating and maintaining defensible space is one of the most effective ways to protect your home and property from wildfire. Evergreen Tree Care helps East Bay homeowners, HOAs, and property managers reduce fire risk through science-based vegetation management, strategic tree care, and CAL FIRE–compliant zone planning. Our ISA Certified Arborists understand the region’s terrain, climate, and fuel loads, enabling us to design fire-safe landscapes that slow the spread of wildfire and give firefighters the access they need to defend your property. With Evergreen, you get a comprehensive, environmentally responsible approach that prioritizes safety, long-term tree health, and peace of mind during wildfire season and beyond.
What Is Defensible Space?
Defensible space is a fire safety buffer around your home or building. It reduces the amount of vegetation and debris that can ignite and gives firefighters a safer area to work if a wildfire reaches your property. In the East Bay, this kind of maintenance is not only smart for safety. It is often required by state and county guidelines. Creating proper spacing, removing excess fuel, and maintaining healthy trees can make homes far less vulnerable during fire season.
- Our Defensible Space Services
Zone Creation
We create defensible space zones that meet CAL FIRE and local fire district standards without compromising the health of your trees. Our arborists assess vegetation, identify fuel loads, and design clear Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 plans that reduce ignition risk and improve property protection. Every recommendation is tailored to your site conditions, slope, and surrounding fuels to ensure long-term safety and compliance.
Insurance & Regulatory Compliance
Many insurers and municipalities now require proof of defensible space before issuing or renewing coverage. Evergreen provides the documentation, photos, and verification needed to demonstrate compliance with current fire-safety regulations. Our team stays up to date on changing codes and insurance guidelines, helping homeowners and property managers avoid delays, penalties, or coverage interruptions while keeping their landscape fire-ready.
Why Defensible Space Matters in the East Bay
The East Bay has long, dry summers and dense pockets of vegetation. Even well maintained landscapes can build up dry brush or low limbs that increase fire risk. Homes near open space or hillsides are especially vulnerable because small sparks can travel across properties quickly.
The goal of defensible space is simple. It slows the spread of fire, protects your home, and gives first responders a chance to defend the area. Proper pruning and vegetation spacing can also improve overall tree health, which makes them more resilient during heat and drought.
Our Defensible Space Process
Creating defensible space is one of the most effective ways to reduce fire risk around a home or building. It’s a combination of proper tree care, vegetation spacing, and ongoing maintenance that keeps your property safer during fire season. Our goal is to help you meet local requirements while protecting the health and structure of the trees you want to keep.
Site Assessment
We review the entire property, identify hazards, and note the changes needed to meet local fire safety guidelines.
Clearance around structures
We create the required spacing between vegetation and buildings so fire has less fuel to reach the home.
Tree pruning for safety
Low limbs, heavy branches, and dense canopies are trimmed to reduce ladder fuels and improve tree health.
Brush and fuel reduction
Dry grasses, overgrown shrubs, and excess vegetation are thinned or removed to slow fire spread.
Ground cleanup and debris removal
All litter, fallen branches, and buildup around the base of trees are cleared to reduce ignition points.
Chipping and disposal
All removed material is chipped or hauled away so nothing dry or flammable is left behind.
Ongoing compliance and yearly updates
Vegetation grows back quickly, so we help you stay on schedule with yearly maintenance to remain compliant through fire season.
Schedule Your Tree Service Today
Get expert care from trusted East Bay arborists—call 925-825-8165 or request an appointment using the form below, and we’ll take care of the rest.
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What to expect
We believe tree care should be simple and stress-free. When you call our office or submit a request form, our team handles every detail so your tree service experience is as easy as possible.
- Initial Contact – We confirm your details and schedule a convenient appointment.
- On-Site Evaluation – A Certified Arborist visits your property to assess your trees and answer questions.
- Personalized Proposal – You receive a clear estimate with recommended services and next steps.
- Scheduling & Service – Once approved, we book your project and complete the work safely and efficiently.