TX contractor LIC
UT contractor INS
FAA PART 107 FAA 107
Insurance $2M GL
Technology About Contact
Service — S5 Wildfire Prevention & Defensible Space · Austin & Hill Country

Clear the Fuel.
Prove the Buffer.

Cedar thickets. Dead brush. Ladder fuels stacked against your structure. The Hill Country’s wildfire risk isn’t theoretical — it’s measurable, and so is the clearing work we do about it.

ClearGround removes fire fuel, creates defensible space, and delivers an RTK-verified 3D digital twin documenting every foot of clearance — so your insurance company, your fire marshal, and your family all see the same proof.

    Request a Quote

    Send us a message for a free quote. We aim to respond within 1 business day to all inquiries.

    30–100 ft
    Defensible Space Zones
    ±0.5cm
    RTK Verification Accuracy
    3D Twin
    Before + After Documentation
    Firewise
    Best Practice Compliance

    DON'T JUST CLEAR THE BRUSH. PROVE IT'S GONE.

    FIRE RISK ISN'T GUESSWORK.
    NEITHER IS THE MITIGATION.

    01/5

    FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

    PHASE 01 — MAP THE FUEL BEFORE YOU CLEAR IT

    WE SCAN THE FIRE LOAD.

    Before a single branch is cut, our Mavic 3 Enterprise RTK drone maps your property's vegetation density, canopy coverage, and proximity to structures at centimeter-level accuracy. Dead cedar, brush accumulation, and ladder fuel zones are identified in 3D — giving you and your clearing crew a precision plan, not a best guess.

    ± 0.5CM ACCURACY · VEGETATION DENSITY MAP · STRUCTURE PROXIMITY ANALYSIS · CANOPY COVERAGE MODEL

    [Phase 01] RTK Survey Orthomosaic
    vegetation density analysis
    Hill Country property

    02/5

    FUEL REDUCTION

    PHASE 02 — REMOVE THE RISK, PROTECT THE TREES

    SURGICAL FUEL REMOVAL.

    Dense cedar thickets get mulched. Dead brush and ladder fuels get removed. Desirable live oaks and native hardwoods stay. This isn't a slash-and-burn operation — it's selective clearing driven by the pre-scan data, executed with equipment matched to your terrain.

    CAT 299D3 XE + FAE MULCHER · SELECTIVE CLEARING · CEDAR / BRUSH / LADDER FUEL REMOVAL · ON-SITE MULCHING

    [Phase 02] Selective cedar clearing
    preserving mature live oaks
    Hill Country terrain

    03/5

    MID-PROJECT VERIFICATION

    PHASE 03 — EVERY FRIDAY. DATA DOESN'T LIE.

    PROGRESS YOU CAN MEASURE.

    Multi-day clearing projects get weekly RTK scans. Cleared acreage is confirmed. Defensible space zones are verified against Firewise standards. You see exactly what's been removed, what's left, and whether the buffer zone meets spec — before the crew comes back Monday.

    WEEKLY RTK SCANS · CLEARED AREA CONFIRMATION · DEFENSIBLE SPACE ZONE TRACKING · FIREWISE COMPLIANCE CHECK

    [Phase 03] Progress comparison
    before vs. mid-project density
    30/60/100ft zones highlighted

    04/5

    FINAL VERIFICATION

    PHASE 04 — THE SCAN THAT CLOSES THE JOB

    DEFENSIBLE SPACE, VERIFIED.

    Post-clearing RTK scan confirms every foot of defensible space. The 3D model shows your property before and after — vegetation removed, buffer zones measured, Firewise zones documented. This isn't a photo album. It's a georeferenced, measurement-grade digital twin your insurer and fire marshal can both use.

    POST-CLEAR RTK SCAN · ZONE 1/2/3 MEASUREMENT · BEFORE/AFTER 3D COMPARISON · GEOREFERENCED COMPLIANCE MODEL

    [Phase 04] Before/after 3D comparison
    cleared defensible space
    buffer zone measurements overlaid

    05/5

    DELIVERABLE

    PHASE 05 — YOUR PROPERTY'S FIRE DEFENSE RECORD

    THE PROOF IS PERMANENT.

    Every fire mitigation project delivers a shareable 3D digital twin on DroneDeploy — accessible by you, your insurance agent, your fire marshal, or your HOA. The model is measurement-grade, timestamped, and archived. When your insurer asks if you've created defensible space, you don't send photos. You send a link.

    3D DIGITAL TWIN ON DRONEDEPLOY · SHAREABLE LINK · MEASUREMENT-GRADE · TIMESTAMPED ARCHIVE · INSURANCE-READY

    [Phase 05] DroneDeploy 3D model
    completed fire mitigation project
    measurement tools + buffer zones

    What This Is

    Wildfire Prevention
    for the Hill Country.

    Most Austin-area land clearing companies will mulch your cedar and leave. They’ll call it “wildfire prevention” on the invoice, but they can’t prove what was removed, they don’t measure your defensible space zones, and they don’t give your insurer anything to work with.

    ClearGround treats fire mitigation as a precision service, not a side effect of brush clearing. We map the fire fuel load before we cut. We clear to Firewise defensible space standards. And we deliver a 3D digital twin that documents every foot of clearance — the kind of proof that lowers your risk profile with both your insurance company and your fire department.

    Typical Clearing Crew
    Show up, cut brush, leave
    No pre-clearing survey or fire risk mapping
    No defensible space zone measurement
    No Firewise standard verification
    Before/after photos at best
    Nothing shareable with your insurer
    VS
    ClearGround
    RTK drone survey maps fire fuel load first
    Selective clearing preserves desirable species
    Zone 1/2/3 defensible space measured and verified
    Clearing plan follows Firewise best practices
    3D digital twin documents every foot of clearance
    Shareable proof for insurers, fire marshals, HOAs
    Service 01 of 04

    Cedar Removal &
    Forestry Mulching

    Ashe juniper is the primary fire threat in the Hill Country — and the primary fuel load we eliminate first. ClearGround’s CAT 299D3 XE with FAE mulching head processes standing cedar, deadfall, and dense brush into ground-level mulch in a single pass.

    Nothing leaves the site. The mulch decomposes in place, returns nutrients to the soil, and — critically — eliminates the hauling permits, burn permits, and disposal fees that add weeks and thousands of dollars to competing bids. The fuel load is gone. The biology stays.

    CAT 299D3 XE + FAE MULCHING HEAD · IN-PLACE PROCESSING · ZERO HAULING · ZERO BURN PERMITS · SELECTIVE CLEARING AVAILABLE
    $2,800 – $8,500 / acre
    Varies by cedar density, terrain, and zone requirements. Pre-mobilization drone scan locks price — no day-rate surprises.
    Cedar Removal
    Service 02 of 04

    Defensible Space
    Creation

    Defensible space is not a single cleared perimeter. It’s a zoned system: Zone 1 (0–30 ft from structure), Zone 2 (30–100 ft), and Zone 3 (100 ft+) each require different vegetation management approaches — and ClearGround verifies each zone against RTK-measured boundaries, not eyeballed estimates.

    Most clearing crews work from the edge in. We work from the scan out — mapping your existing fuel load, identifying the highest-risk areas, and building your defensible space perimeter to a documented standard, not a visual one.

    ZONE 1 / ZONE 2 / ZONE 3 DEMARCATION · RTK BOUNDARY VERIFICATION · STRUCTURE PROXIMITY MAPPING · FIREWISE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTATION
    $4,200 – $14,000+
    Depends on property size, existing vegetation density, and zone configuration. Scoped on-site — no guessing.
    Defensible Space
    <p>[Defensible Space] Completed zones<br /> around Hill Country home. Clear Zone 1,<br /> thinned Zone 2, reduced Zone 3.</p>
    Service 03 of 04

    Brush Reduction &
    Fuel Break Construction

    A fuel break is a strategic gap in continuous vegetation that slows or stops lateral fire spread across a property. It’s the fire mitigation version of a firewall — and it needs to be wide enough, placed correctly, and free of ladder fuels that would let fire jump it.

    ClearGround designs fuel breaks from the drone data down — placing them where the fire risk model shows the highest exposure, not where it’s easiest to run a machine. CAT 308E2 CR mini excavator handles grubbing, root removal, and break-face construction in terrain where a mulcher can’t get close.

    STRATEGIC FUEL BREAK PLACEMENT · ROOT GRUBBING · CAT 308E2 CR · SLOPE TERRAIN CAPABLE · STRUCTURE-ADJACENT CONSTRUCTION
    $3,500 – $11,000
    Linear footage, terrain grade, and break width determine cost. Scoped from drone data — accurate before mobilization.
    Fuel Break & Brush Reduction
    Service 04 of 04

    Annual Maintenance &
    Vegetation Monitoring

    Cedar grows back. Every year you skip maintenance, the fuel load returns and the clearing cost increases. A single clearing project without a maintenance plan is a temporary fix on a permanent problem.

    ClearGround’s subscription maintenance program locks in annual or biannual service with priority scheduling, updated RTK scans each visit, and an insurance documentation package that shows your insurer your property stays compliant — not just for one year, but for every renewal going forward.

    ANNUAL / BIANNUAL SERVICE · CEDAR REGROWTH MANAGEMENT · UPDATED RTK VERIFICATION EACH VISIT · INSURANCE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE · PRIORITY SCHEDULING
    $1,800 – $12,000 / year
    Bronze (1-acre perimeter) through Gold (full estate). Locked pricing across contract period.
    Annual Maintenance & Vegetation Monitoring
    Included in Every Price

    Every wildfire prevention project includes pre-clearing RTK drone survey, defensible space zone mapping, real-time progress documentation, and a post-clearing 3D digital twin delivered within 48 hours of completion. You’re not buying brush clearing hours. You’re buying documented, verified defensible space with 3D proof.

    See the Work

    The footage is the proof.

    [M2 — Video Content]
    Aerial drone footage: before/after wildfire
    prevention clearing on a Hill Country property.

    The ClearGround Difference

    Every clearing crew cuts brush. We're the only ones who
    prove the buffer.

    The Hill Country has no shortage of companies that will run a mulcher through your cedar. But when your insurance company asks for documentation of defensible space, or your HOA requires proof of Firewise compliance, a text message from the clearing crew doesn’t cut it.

    ClearGround’s RTK drone survey creates a measurement-grade 3D model of your property before and after clearing. Defensible space zones are mapped, measured, and archived. Your insurance agent gets a link to a georeferenced model — not a folder of iPhone photos.

    Pre-Clear Fire Risk Map

    Vegetation density mapped in 3D. Cedar thickets, ladder fuels, and structure proximity identified before a single branch is cut.

    Defensible Space Verification

    Zone 1/2/3 measured to Firewise spec. Every foot of clearance documented and verified in the post-clearing model.

    Insurance-Ready Documentation

    Shareable 3D model on DroneDeploy. Timestamped, georeferenced, measurement-grade. Send the link to your agent.

    Annual Twin Updates

    Your file stays current. Annual re-scans update the model so your defensible space documentation never goes stale.

    Who This Is For

    Protecting what you
    built in the Hill Country.

    built in the Hill Country.

    Westlake · Lakeway · Bee Cave · Spicewood · Dripping Springs

    Your home sits in one of the most beautiful — and fire-prone — landscapes in Texas. Dense cedar within 30 feet of your structure isn’t a landscaping problem. It’s a fire risk that affects your insurance premiums, your property value, and your family’s safety.

    Get a fire risk assessment

    Estate & Ranch Owners

    Hill Country · Fredericksburg · Johnson City · Wimberley · Marble Falls

    A 20-acre ranch with unchecked cedar regrowth isn’t just losing water to invasive trees — it’s accumulating fire fuel across every acre. ClearGround clears cedar and brush at scale, creates defensible space around structures, and builds fire breaks along property lines.

    See forestry mulching services

    HOAs & Community Associations

    WUI Communities · Barton Creek · Steiner Ranch · River Place

    Community-wide fire mitigation requires coordination, documentation, and proof of compliance. ClearGround works with HOAs to assess community fire risk, clear common areas, create fuel breaks between structures, and deliver community-wide 3D documentation.

    Request a community assessment

    Insurance-Driven Clients

    All Austin Metro & Hill Country

    Your insurer flagged your property. Your premium spiked. Your renewal is conditional on defensible space creation. ClearGround delivers the clearing work and the documentation your insurance company needs.

    Document your defensible space
    Typical Project Flow

    Wildfire prevention is a data-driven process — from fire risk assessment to documented defensible space, every phase is scanned, verified, and archived.

    01
    Fire Risk Scan

    RTK drone maps
    vegetation + fuel load

    02
    Clearing Plan

    Zones defined
    priority areas flagged

    03
    Fuel Reduction

    Cedar + brush removed
    defensible space built

    04
    Post-Clear Scan

    3D verification
    zones measured

    05
    Digital Twin

    Shareable model
    insurance-ready proof

    Equipment & Specifications

    The iron behind
    the fire line.

    CAT 299D3 XE + FAE Mulching Head
    Primary — Fuel Reduction
    CAT 299D3 XE

    High-flow compact track loader with FAE mulching attachment. Processes cedar, brush, and dead vegetation into ground-level mulch on-site. Handles dense fuel loads and steep Hill Country terrain.

    HP Rating
    110 HP
    Operating Weight
    11,574 lbs
    Mulch Depth
    Ground Level
    Primary Use
    Cedar + Brush
    CAT 308E2 CR Mini Excavator
    Support — Grubbing & Break Building
    CAT 308E2 CR

    Compact-radius mini excavator for root grubbing, fire break construction, and terrain work. Zero tail swing prevents structure damage when working close to buildings.

    HP Rating
    66 HP
    Operating Weight
    18,101 lbs
    Dig Depth
    15 ft 2 in
    Tail Swing
    Zero / Compact
    DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise RTK
    Survey — Fire Risk Mapping
    DJI Mavic 3 RTK

    Survey-grade drone with Real-Time Kinematic positioning. Maps vegetation density, canopy coverage, and structure proximity at centimeter-level accuracy for fire risk assessment.

    Accuracy
    ±0.5 cm
    Sensor
    4/3 CMOS 20MP
    Flight Time
    45 min
    Output
    Ortho + 3D Twin
    Emlid RS3 Base Station
    Survey — RTK Base
    Emlid RS3

    Multi-band GNSS receiver providing real-time corrections to the Mavic 3 Enterprise RTK. Delivers survey-grade accuracy without reliance on cellular RTK networks in remote Hill Country locations.

    GNSS Bands
    Multi-Band
    RTK Accuracy
    ±0.5 cm H
    Range
    60 km baseline
    Network
    Independent

    Book Your Free
    Site Scan.

    Every project starts with an RTK drone scan of your site. We fly it, build your 3D model, and deliver a fixed-price proposal — all before you commit to anything.

    Book Site Scan Call TX Office (512) 880-8888 Call UT Office (801) 909-0000