Reducing Your Wildfire Risk
Just like it can flood anywhere it rains or snows, there can be a fire anywhere there is something flammable. The good news is that there are clear, research-backed methods to reduce wildfire risk around homes, on properties, and across communities.
While Moab’s wildfire risk might seem insignificant compared to that of mountain towns, parts of the Moab Valley have the nexus of dense vegetation, neighborhoods, and limited vehicular access that heighten the risk of a large, destructive wildfire. These “hot spots” are the Mill and Pack creek corridors and the Matheson Wetlands — the focus areas of FireBREAK.
Everyone, whether they live in these areas or not, can take steps to reduce the risk of wildfire on their properties and around their homes. It isn’t possible to entirely prevent fires from happening, but it is possible to ensure that if and when a wildfire does start it will be smaller, slower, and easier to extinguish. It’s also possible to make homes more likely to survive if a wildfire does ignite nearby.
Some of this work (called wildfire mitigation) is best done in the winter, but there are important steps that can be taken year-round to reduce wildfire risk. Check out the resources and information below to learn more.
“Often, people think there isn’t anything they can do to help protect their property, but there are in fact steps that can be taken to increase wildfire safety for homes and properties.”
First things first: Defensible space & the home ignition zone
To understand home wildfire preparedness, first you need to understand two terms: defensible space and the home ignition zone.
Defensible space is an area, either natural or manmade, where fire fuels have been treated, thinned, or removed around a structure and can act as a buffer for an advancing wildfire. When you establish defensible space, you’re giving firefighters a place to be able to defend a structure from wildfire.
The home ignition zone refers to three different “zones” around a house with specific recommendations of how to reduce or alter vegetation to establish defensible space. It was first developed by fire researchers in the 1990s.
The Home Ignition Zone, courtesy of NFPA.
The National Fire Protection Association has excellent resources describing these concepts and low-tech, accessible ways to implement them on your own property.
After reviewing the NFPA webpage, check out our handout, “Wildfire Preparedness for Dense Neighborhoods.” This adapts preparedness principles to denser neighborhoods like we have in Moab — ones that don’t necessarily have 100 feet of space around them on all sides.
More Moab-specific information
FireBREAK has been developing Moab-specific information about wildfire preparedness to help connect best practices with local environments. Check out the sections below to see what we have available. Still have unanswered questions? Let us know at info@firebreakmoab.org.
Moab's fire fuels & how to fight them
Moab has a few plant species that are invasive fire fuels — meaning they tend to dominate ecosystems while also increasing wildfire risk. We’ve developed one-page sheets that explain the major fire fuels, why they’re a risk, and the best ways and times of year to remove these fuels!
Woody fuels/trees
These sheets describe retreatment for stumps after trees are initially felled — which is critical for preventing resprouts.. It also describes how to deal with small saplings before they become full-grown trees.
Fine fuels/grasses
These sheets describe all kinds of treatments for the below species, and the time of year when treatment is most effective.
Bonus: Kochia! Kochia is an invasive herbaceous plant in Moab that looks very flammable but actually isn’t a huge fire risk (it smolders when lit). Still, it’s a common nuisance plant so we have created a one-pager for it as well.
Defensible space & the home ignition zone
These handouts connect basic wildfire preparedness concepts with Moab-specific landscapes and fire seasons.
“The Immediate Zone” mailer: This mailer describes strategies for reducing fire fuels in the first 0-5 feet next to your home, which is known as the “Immediate Zone” in the home ignition zone. This was sent to Moab residents in May 2026.
Wildfire Preparedness for Dense Neighborhoods: This is the same handout linked higher up in this page. It connects the broad concepts of defensible space & the home ignition zone with Moab’s denser environments. If you’re unfamiliar with the concepts of defensible space & the home ignition zone, read this page on the National Fire Protection Association website.
Getting help with fire fuels reduction
Wondering how to get this all done? We have a few options & resources.
Those who own property in the Moab Valley can request a site assessment from FireBREAK. Local fire resilience experts will visit the property and can provide guidance Some properties with very large, dense, or complex stands of fire fuels may also qualify for grant-funded fuels removal.
Landscaper & Arborist List: For those who may not qualify for grant-funded removal work but need some help, we have developed a list of arborists and landscapers who work in the Moab area and can help homeowners reduce fire fuels. They have agreed to their inclusion on the list. The list does not guarantee a business’s licenses, certifications, or insurance; you are responsible for checking those if you choose to hire one of these companies. We are always working to expand this list; please email info@firebreakmoab.org if you notice a missing business and we will be happy to contact them (list last updated 9/2026).
Last updated September 24, 2026