The tree's bushy branches and understory provide as ladder fuels to carry fire from the ground into tree canopies, increasing rate of spread.

We prioritize quality over quantity and will cut around healthy stands to ensure their longevity.

A quick fix when land near your home has excessive ground fuels (i.e. grass, brush) under the "drip lines" of trees.

- Drip lines are known in the wildland fire community as the space fire and embers "drip" down to if that tree is on fire. Spaces under trees should be clear.

Trees in poor health, covered in orange lichen, and dead logs on the ground.

- Overcrowding makes it hard for all to thrive as they compete.

- Dead trees pose a hazard in forest ecosystems. They are often dried out and can ignite quickly, serving as kindling for wildfires.

- The presence of dead trees leads to increased fuel loads on the forest floor and more severe, fast-moving fires.

Part of forest health assessments can include predicted wildfire effects. When doing wildfire risk and forest health assessments, spacing is crucial.

- We love trees and want them to do well in our forests or your land. To ensure this, the excess and diseased/dying trees are removed.

Snags, or dead trees, present and leaning. What is taken vs left is recommended by Alpine, yet ultimately the hiring authority's decision: i.e. homeowner, HOA, land owner. We respect set project specifications.

As you can see again, there are excess saplings in drip lines and an abundance of understory brush. Where all the species mush together, so could a fire fly through them.

Dead and down in the back. Overcrowded ground with excess fuels.

- Reducing understory fuels promotes healthier forests. Overgrown understories can block the growth of younger trees and useful plants, making ecosystems less resilient.

- By reducing them, you and your community can be better prepared for wildfires, lowering the chances of severe fires that could harm people, property, and nature.

Understory and ground fuels are the smaller plants and debris underneath larger trees (such as grasses, shrubs, and fallen leaves) that cover forest floors.

- Fires can easily move from the ground to the tree tops through these fuels, leading to more dangerous crown fires that are difficult to manage.

- Reducing understory fuels is essential for effective wildfire management, protecting ecosystems, and ensuring the safety of communities and firefighters.

When trees are in close proximity, they compete for resources such as sunlight, water, and nutrients.

- This competition can weaken individual trees, making them more susceptible to disease and pests.

- The good news is this section is near a fuel break: the driveway. The bad news is it's still beside the house.

The aspen clones aren't too tightly grouped, which is nice. However, there are excess in-between and understory fuels that should be mitigated.

- Clearing these fuels helps create safer conditions for fighting fires and increases probability of safeguarding your property, should it come to that.

Can you spot all the snags?

I spot 4! One is standing and not doing well (far left), the other 3 are in the back suspended into a sort of "X".

Maintaining healthy forest ecosystems involves managing tree density and removing dead trees as necessary to reduce wildfire risks and promote overall forest health. Fire can spread more easily among them due to the continuous fuel supply. Flames can leap from one tree to another, creating intense conditions.