Defensible space for North Valley homes
The North Valley's old tree rows, orchards and back lots hold a lot of dry fuel, and some properties sit right against the bosque. We thin it so there's less to burn between the trees and your house.
Where valley lots meet the bosque
Valley properties closest to the Rio Grande often share a fence with the bosque, and even lots farther in have tree rows that run like fingers toward the house. Siberian elm drops dead branches, Russian olive and salt cedar grow into dense thickets, and the weeds under them dry out by late summer.
Add generations of farm life, like old pens, woodpiles and junk stacked behind a shed, and many North Valley lots carry more fuel than their owners realize.
How we work a fuel job on a valley lot
- 1
Walk and mark
We walk the lot with you, mark what stays and note wells, septic lids and buried irrigation you know about.
- 2
Clear around the house
Dead material and dry shrubs near walls come out first, and limbs over the roof get cut back.
- 3
Open the tree rows
We remove invasive thickets and dead wood, and limb the trees you're keeping up off the ground.
- 4
Haul and finish
Loads go out as we work, so there are no brush piles left sitting on the lot.
Leave the ditch out of it
Many North Valley lots are served by MRGCD ditches. We don't stack cut brush in a ditch or on its easement, and work on the ditch itself needs the district's approval.
What sets the size of a North Valley fuel job
These are the things that make one valley property more work than the next.
- How dense the invasive growth is
- A few Russian olives are a quick job. A solid wall of salt cedar takes much longer to cut and load.
- Dead wood on the ground
- Years of fallen elm limbs and orchard prunings add to the haul-off.
- Soil moisture
- Silt and clay that stay soft after irrigation may push us to hand work or a later date.
- Access to the back of the lot
- Narrow side gates and fenced pens decide what equipment can reach the tree rows.
- Mixed debris
- Junk piles and old lumber have to be sorted from brush before hauling.
Set up a walk-through in the North Valley
Send the address and tell us whether the property backs onto the bosque.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (505) 578-0369.
Defensible space questions in North Valley
Am I required to have defensible space on my North Valley property?
That depends on your jurisdiction, and the North Valley is split between the city, the county and Los Ranchos. Check with your local fire department, or a Firewise program near you, for recommendations that fit your property. We don't decide what's required.
Can you thin an old orchard instead of taking it out?
Yes. We clear grass and dead wood from the orchard floor, remove dead trees and limb the live ones up, so the orchard stays but carries less fuel.
What do you do if the ground near the river is too wet for equipment?
We switch to hand crews where we can and bring machines back once it's firm. Rutted silt is slow to recover, so we'd rather wait.
More services in North Valley
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.