Permanent fire breaks

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A permanent firebreak is a strip of fire-resistant vegetation, bare ground or a combination that slows the spread of fire. Properly designed firebreaks may also provide wildlife habitat and access to the property. Firebreaks are also referred to as firelines and firelanes.

Equipment:
Usually a crawler tractor is used for clearing a firebreak in forested areas. A mechanical spreader capable of spreading lime, fertilizer and seed may also be required for establishing cover.

Location:
Locate firebreaks on ridge tops, on the contour, and through the forest at intervals of 1/8 to 1/2 mile. Closer intervals are recommended in areas of high risk or for prescribed burning.

Where possible, tie firebreaks into existing barriers such as roads, cultivated fields, pastures and utility rights-ofway. Avoid tying lines directly into a lake, stream, pond or swamp, which may result in siltation of the water body; thereby degrading the water quality.

Typical firebreaks include access roads, vegetated firebreaks, plowed or disked firebreaks, and grazed firebreaks.

Access Roads:
Access roads may provide protection from wildfire and entry for forest management if properly designed and maintained.

• Roads should not be in the Streamside Management Zone (SMZ) along streams and natural depressions.
• Do not incorporate stumps, logs, slash and other organic debris into roadbeds.
• They should be approximately 10 feet wide, or wider and the grade should not exceed 10%. On long, climbing grades, the road should be broken into shorter segments of 300 to 500 feet when possible.
• Use water diversion devices or broad-based drainage dips when erosion hazard is moderate to severe.
• Consider vegetation to reduce erosion and enhance wildlife habitat.
• Remove all burnable materials in early spring and fall before the fire seasons.

Vegetated Firebreaks:
Vegetated firebreaks are constructed by bulldozing, plowing or disking and then seeding with a green cover crop. When installing vegetated firebreaks:

• Select plants that retard fire, enhance wildlife habitat and offer ease of maintenance.
• Consider overseeding each fall with legumes, small grains, or ryegrass.
• Lime and fertilize periodically, and reseed when necessary.
• Vegetated firebreaks should be at least 10 feet wide.
• Mow or allow grazing to avoid build up of dead litter and help control weeds and woody vegetation.

Plowed or Disked Firebreaks:
Many different types of equipment are used to construct plowed or disked firebreaks. The objective is a bare area at least 10 feet wide that contains no burnable materials.

• Limit these firebreaks to areas with slight erosion hazard.
• Plow or disk to remove burnable material before the spring and fall fire seasons.

Grazed Firebreaks:
Grazed firebreaks are used in areas where livestock can keep them closely grazed. This type protects the forest and provides additional grazing for livestock.

• The preferred width of grazed firebreaks is 16 feet or more.
• Plant with bahia grass, small grains, rye grass, legumes, or allow native species to re-establish on the firelanes.
• Fertilize and lime periodically and reseed when necessary.
• Graze properly and mow whenever needed.

Water Diversion:
Develop water diversion devices on slopes to minimize erosion. Percent of slope will determine spacing and dimensions of the devices. Typically, they are 12 – 18 inches high and at a 30- 45 degree angle down slope across the road or firebreak so water is diverted into forested areas. Fertilizing and seeding with species with dense deep root systems can stabilize firebreaks.