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Apart from tree limbs, anything that would help that fire move up into the tree canopy is a fuel ladder. This includes shrubs and even tall grass or weeds. Non-vegetation fuel sources such as woodpiles, wooden fenceposts and structures should also be considered.
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The intent is to maintain a break in vertical and horizontal continuity so that, if for example a woodpile caught fire, it would not be positioned next to shrubs or directly under trees that could then easily catch fire.
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up to a minimum of 8 feet, and potentially as high as 15 feet. The required height depends on how low the branch tips hang, the steepness of slope, and the height and spacing of other nearby vegetation.
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Potential fuel ladders should be removed to reduce the risk of fire bridging the gap to the canopy. To remove the ladder requires
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Illustration from U.S. government publication, Introduction to
Wildland Fire Behavior (S-190), showing the fuel ladder
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CA State Board of
Forestry and Fire Protection: "General Guidelines for Creating Defensible Space"
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The desired result is to create a situation in which a low-burning fire could burn to the
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Santa
Barbara County Fire Department: "Landscape 'Firescape' Checklist"
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SBCFD Homepage + Links 'Defending Your Home and Hazard
Reduction'
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Official CA State Board of
Forestry and Fire Protection website.
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68:, both living and dead. The removal of fuel ladders is part of
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192:, FireWords Glossary of Fire Science Terminology, version 1.0.2
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Official Santa
Barbara County Fire Department Website
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986:Wildfire suppression equipment and personnel
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818:International Association of Fire Fighters
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92:of a tree, which is protected by its
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976:Modular Airborne FireFighting System
56:. Common ladder fuels include tall
624:Self-contained breathing apparatus
324:Firefighter assist and search team
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349:Fire department ranks by country
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823:International Firefighters' Day
783:Candidate Physical Ability Test
132:Defensible space (fire control)
104:within easy reach of the fire.
334:Special operations firefighter
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1225:Sustainable forest management
873:Wildfire emergency management
440:Hazardous materials apparatus
848:World Police and Fire Games
803:Fire protection engineering
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1096:Glossary of wildfire terms
828:List of firefighting films
276:Personnel and organization
205:CAL-FIRE: Homepage + Links
175:CAL FIRE - Fuels Treatment
1235:Environmental terminology
1134:
808:Geography of firefighting
339:Volunteer fire department
72:'firescaping' practices.
1126:Template:Fire protection
843:World Firefighters Games
737:Gaseous fire suppression
813:History of firefighting
951:Firefighting apparatus
639:Thermal imaging camera
619:Secure information box
435:Firefighting apparatus
36:term for live or dead
21:
1245:Sustainable gardening
996:Wildland water tender
578:Hydraulic rescue tool
344:Women in firefighting
82:pruning any low limbs
44:to climb up from the
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1215:Wildfire suppression
1037:Wildland fire module
991:Wildland fire engine
878:Wildfire suppression
415:Fire command vehicle
410:Airport crash tender
309:Retained firefighter
157:Wildfire suppression
896:Aerial firefighting
752:Stop, drop and roll
742:Multiple-alarm fire
609:Portable water tank
518:Fire proximity suit
936:Fire retardant gel
921:Fire lookout tower
594:New York roof hook
445:Light and air unit
382:Fire lookout tower
289:Chief fire officer
210:2010-05-10 at the
108:Other fuel ladders
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1101:List of wildfires
961:Helicopter bucket
956:Firefighting foam
558:Hard suction hose
503:Fire extinguisher
493:Fire brigade keys
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1220:Wildfire ecology
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798:Fire photography
580:("Jaws of life")
538:Fireman's switch
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76:Fire precautions
70:defensible space
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762:Two-in, two-out
717:Fireman's carry
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543:Flame retardant
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425:Fire motorcycle
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370:Fire department
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304:Station officer
284:Battalion chief
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212:Wayback Machine
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712:Fire triangle
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1053:Ancient Rome
1027:Hotshot crew
1012:Fire lookout
911:Fire flapper
702:Fire control
667:Chimney fire
553:Halligan bar
528:Fire shelter
513:Fire hydrant
488:Fire blanket
483:Escape chair
460:Water tender
387:Fire station
314:Fire marshal
294:Fire captain
268:Firefighting
226:
185:
170:
142:Firefighting
137:Fire ecology
127:Fire control
115:
111:
87:
79:
50:forest floor
34:firefighting
29:
25:
23:
1046:By location
1032:Smokejumper
889:and tactics
767:Ventilation
707:Fire safety
692:False alarm
649:Terminology
599:PASS device
573:Hose bridge
563:Hazmat suit
498:Fire bucket
478:Bunker gear
420:Fire engine
365:Drill tower
319:Fire police
190:Ladder fuel
64:, and tree
30:ladder fuel
26:fuel ladder
1209:Categories
1078:Washington
1073:California
941:Fire trail
887:Equipment
727:Flash fire
697:Fire class
677:Deluge gun
614:Rotary saw
584:Kelly tool
548:Fog nozzle
392:Hose tower
358:Facilities
299:Fire chief
163:References
38:vegetation
1058:Australia
1005:Personnel
966:Hose pack
946:Firebreak
926:Fire rake
916:Fire hose
906:Driptorch
858:Wildfires
788:Fire camp
732:Flashover
662:Barn fire
657:Backdraft
508:Fire hose
470:Equipment
402:Apparatus
46:landscape
1169:Glossary
1145:Category
1114:See also
1022:Helitack
1017:Handcrew
747:Rollover
722:Firewall
430:Fireboat
329:Handcrew
208:Archived
179:CAL FIRE
152:Wildfire
121:See also
66:branches
1193:Outline
1157:Commons
1068:History
981:Pulaski
866:General
604:The pig
147:Limbing
102:needles
58:grasses
971:McLeod
833:Muster
98:leaves
62:shrubs
54:canopy
1181:Index
1089:Lists
687:Draft
629:Siren
589:Nomex
450:Quint
90:trunk
32:is a
375:list
94:bark
42:fire
100:or
48:or
28:or
1211::
225:-
177:,
60:,
24:A
260:e
253:t
246:v
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