Defensible space for Corrales properties near the bosque
Many Corrales properties back onto the Rio Grande bosque or sit among tree rows full of salt cedar and Russian olive. We thin that fuel around your house, barn and driveway while keeping the cottonwoods the village is known for.
Your back fence is where our work stops
The bosque behind many Corrales properties is public land, and we only thin on your side of the line. How much space to keep around buildings depends on the property, so follow guidance from New Mexico fire and forestry agencies, the village fire department or a Firewise program in your area. Thinning lowers the fuel; it can't guarantee what a fire will do.
Corrales properties we thin before fire season
A house backing onto the bosque
Salt cedar and Russian olive have crept in from the river side and grown into a thicket along the back of the lot. We cut it out and haul it so there's an open strip between the trees and the yard.
Barn, hay and tack storage
Dry weeds, dead limbs and old pallets around a barn add up fast. We clear the ground around it and limb up trees that hang over the roof.
A long driveway closing in
Branches and brush narrowing a gravel drive make it hard for a fire truck or a horse trailer to get through. We open it back up to full width and height.
Cottonwoods with dead lower limbs
Big trees that have dropped years of dead wood underneath. We clean up the ground and remove low dead limbs, leaving the tree.
Thinning without losing the cottonwoods
Defensible space in Corrales is rarely about cutting down big trees. The cottonwoods are part of the place, and taking out the invasive growth under and around them often does more good than removing them.
We limb cottonwoods up off the ground, clear the dead wood and leaf litter that piles beneath them, and remove the Russian olive and salt cedar that act as ladder fuel. Large limbs near power lines are for utility crews, not us.
Ground near the bosque and irrigated pasture can be soft, so we schedule machines for firm conditions and do more by hand when it's wet.
What Corrales fuel work can include
- Cutting and removing salt cedar and Russian olive thickets
- Clearing dead wood and litter under cottonwoods
- Limbing trees up off the ground and away from roofs
- Mowing dry pasture weeds near the house and barn
- Opening driveways and gates for emergency access
- Hauling everything off, or chipping it for use away from buildings
Corrales defensible space questions
Can you clear around my barn and hay storage?
Yes. We clear weeds, brush and dead wood from around barns, sheds and hay storage, and limb trees that hang over them.
Will you cut down my cottonwoods to lower the fire risk?
Only if you ask and the tree has a real problem. Usually we keep them and remove what's under and around them instead.
Can I burn the brush you cut instead of having it hauled?
Open burning is controlled by local rules and fire restrictions, so check with the village and fire department first. We haul or chip everything, so you don't need to burn.
Request a free defensible space estimate in Corrales
Tell us where your property sits relative to the bosque and what buildings you want protected.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (505) 578-0369.
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Defensible space nearby
Let's walk your property. The estimate is free.
We come out, look at the lot with you, and hand you a written quote. No pressure, no obligation.