Clear The
Buffer.
Prove It
Exists.
Zone 1 through Zone 3 — fuel-reduced, documented, and verified by RTK drone to centimeter-level accuracy. Not a tree service with a clipboard. A complete defensible space clearing program that delivers compliance documentation your insurance company can actually use.
Three Zones.
One Standard.
NFPA 1144 and Utah WUI guidelines define defensible space in three concentric zones around every structure. Each zone has specific requirements for vegetation density, fuel continuity, and clearance distance. ClearGround executes and documents each zone separately — so compliance is zone-by-zone verifiable, not a general approximation.
Most tree services do general clearing. They cut what looks like too much and leave what looks like okay. There's no measurement, no zone mapping, no documentation that proves what distance was actually cleared. When your insurance company asks for evidence, a before-and-after photo isn't enough. A 3D model with zone measurements is.
The area immediately around your structure. The highest-risk zone — embers landing here can ignite the structure directly. Vegetation must be minimal, well-spaced, and non-continuous.
The primary fuel reduction zone. Vegetation remains but is thinned, spaced, and managed to slow fire spread and reduce ember production before fire can reach Zone 1.
The buffer zone beyond the structure. Focus on reducing overall fuel load and eliminating concentrated fuel accumulations that could produce the energy to jump the Zone 2 break.
Scan. Clear.
Verify. Prove.
Every defensible space clearing project follows the same four-phase process. The drone scan is not optional — it's what makes the clearing documentable, the compliance verifiable, and the insurance package legitimate. Data before decisions. Proof after completion.
RTK drone survey captures vegetation density, dead and dying tree locations, ladder fuel accumulations, slope exposure, and structure proximity across every zone. You receive a georeferenced fire risk map — not a clipboard walkthrough. The clearing plan is built from the data, not from an estimate.
Mountain terrain demands tracked equipment. Compact track loaders with forestry mulching heads process gamble oak, scrub oak, and juniper in place — no burn permits, no hauling. Hand crews handle precision work within Zone 1 and structure-adjacent areas. Every cut follows the zone specs from Phase 01. The clearing plan drives the crew, not the crew's judgment.
Multi-day projects get re-scanned as zones are completed. Cleared acreage is confirmed. Zone boundaries are verified against Firewise and NFPA 1144 standards. If a zone is short — wrong distance, wrong density reduction — the crew corrects it before moving on. The data is the objective arbiter. Not a foreman's opinion.
Final RTK scan captures the completed work at the same survey-grade accuracy as the baseline. Before-and-after comparison is automatic — every zone measured, every setback verified, every cleared area documented. You receive the complete HB 48 compliance package: 3D digital twin, zone-by-zone verification report, and insurance-ready evidence package. Not a handshake. Proof.
Scope Drives
The Number.
Every project starts with an RTK risk assessment that reveals exactly what your property needs — so pricing reflects your actual conditions, not an industry average. Published ranges below are starting benchmarks. A 0.5-acre foothill lot with moderate scrub is a fundamentally different project than a 3-acre mountainside with dense gamble oak, dead standing timber, and 30%+ grades.
RTK drone survey with georeferenced fire risk map, zone-by-zone clearing plan, dead tree inventory, structure proximity analysis, and compliance action plan. Insurance submittal ready. The assessment fee is credited toward clearing when you proceed with ClearGround.
Lot size and terrain complexity. Multiple structures each require independent Home Ignition Zone analysis. Properties above 7,000ft add flight complexity. HOA and community assessments are priced at per-property volume rates.
Complete zone-by-zone fuel reduction — gamble oak and scrub oak thinning, ladder fuel removal, dead tree felling, branch pruning to 6–10ft, and canopy separation. Forestry mulching plus hand crew for Zone 1 precision. In-place processing — no burn permits, no hauling required.
Vegetation density and terrain grade. Light sagebrush thinning on moderate slope sits at the lower range. Dense gamble oak on 30%+ grades with rocky soils — common in Summit and Wasatch Counties — requires tracked equipment, slower production rates, and additional safety measures. Properties over 3 acres achieve lower per-acre rates.
Dead standing timber is the most immediate fire risk on any WUI property. Dead trees ignite faster, burn hotter, produce more embers, and fall during fire events. We fell, buck, and chip dead and dying trees identified during the RTK assessment — prioritizing ember-casting distance from structures and within Zone 1–2 clearance areas.
Dead tree density and size. Large-diameter dead timber near structures may require technical felling with directional control. Haul-off adds trucking costs that on-site chipping avoids. Bundled with fuel reduction scope — significantly more cost-effective than standalone scheduling.
Cleared corridors along driveways, property perimeters, ridge lines, and slope transitions that interrupt horizontal fuel continuity. A fuel break doesn't mean bare dirt — it means reducing vegetation to a level where fire cannot sustain the energy to jump the gap. Designed for your terrain, not against it.
Linear footage and slope grade. Ridge lines and saddle points are strategically critical but require the hardest terrain access. HOA-scale connected fuel breaks across multiple properties are designed as unified systems — priced accordingly.
EQIP
Not a Clipboard.
A Digital Twin.
Every defensible space clearing project includes RTK-verified documentation as standard — not an add-on, not an upgrade. The compliance package that other companies charge extra for, or don't offer at all, is included in every ClearGround project. You're not buying tree removal hours. You're buying verified, documented, HB 48-compliant defensible space with 3D proof.
Navigate your property in 3D from any web browser. Zoom, rotate, measure distances, compare before and after. Share the link with your insurance agent, HOA board, or fire district — no software required. Hosted on DroneDeploy. Permanent record.
Branded compliance report with zone-by-zone measurements, vegetation density reduction data, clearing specifications, risk scoring, and compliance status. Formatted for direct submission to insurance carriers and municipal fire departments. Ready to file.
Timestamped before-and-after RTK documentation formatted to the standards insurance adjusters require. Includes vegetation density measurements, clearance distance verification, dead tree removal confirmation, and a permanent 3D model link your agent can file with your policy.
Orthomosaic maps and elevation models with real-world coordinates. Integrates into county GIS systems and fire department planning tools. For HOA and community-scale projects: per-property reports and a community-wide risk map with prioritized clearing zones.
Built for Every
Property Inside
the WUI Boundary.
"My premium doubled. My carrier is asking for proof of defensible space. I don't even know what that means or if I'm compliant."
HB 48 fees are coming. Your insurer wants documentation. ClearGround gives you zone-by-zone verified compliance proof — formatted for insurance submission, not just a general clearing invoice.
Get a free property assessment →"Our whole community sits in the WUI boundary. Individual homeowners can't coordinate this alone — fire doesn't respect property lines."
ClearGround delivers community-scale programs with per-property tracking, connected fuel breaks between lots, and volume pricing. One vendor, one program, property-level accountability for your entire HOA.
Talk to us about community programs →"I want the fire risk managed, but I don't want my property clear-cut. I want it to look intentional — like a park, not a construction site."
Defensible space doesn't mean bare dirt. ClearGround creates zone-compliant clearing that preserves the natural character of mountain properties — verified by 3D digital twin, maintained by annual re-assessment.
Schedule an assessment →Where the Mountain
Meets Your Mortgage.
Dense timber. Luxury mountain properties with active HOA fire mitigation programs. Summit Park, Jeremy Ranch, Promontory.
Premiums exceeding $27K/year reported. WUI classification driving urgent compliance demand.
Midway formalized WUI zones February 2026. Heber City adopted WUI code. Active enforcement underway.
WUI ordinance adopted January 2026. Rural mountain communities with limited fire coverage. Defensible space is the first line of defense.
Single-road access, steep terrain, evacuation constraints. Salt Lake County monitoring WUI compliance.
Estate properties on the Wasatch foothills. Gamble oak and scrub oak meeting the property line. Growing insurance pressure.
Juniper and sagebrush fuel loads. Limited municipal fire services. HB 48 boundary covers significant unincorporated Summit County.
Direct adjacency to foothill vegetation. Estate-scale lots with gamble oak and sagebrush requiring ongoing management.
The Full
Scope.
The full wildfire prevention service — RTK risk assessment through fuel reduction, defensible space creation, and verified compliance documentation for Utah WUI properties.
In-place processing of gamble oak, scrub oak, and juniper into ground-level mulch. The primary clearing method for heavy fuel reduction in Zone 2–3.
DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise RTK + DroneDeploy + Emlid RS3 base station. The survey-grade technology stack behind every risk assessment and compliance verification.
Book a Free
WUI Assessment.
We fly your property, map the fire risk in 3D, and show you exactly what it takes to get compliant — before enforcement or your next insurance renewal forces the conversation.