Wildfire Mitigation and Property Reclamation in the Blue Mountains

In August, Rugged Land was contacted by a landowner who owned rural property east of Walla Walla, nestled in the scenic Blue Mountains. He reached out through Facebook asking if Rugged Land offered free estimates—of course, we do! After a quick chat, we set up a time for me to visit the property and walk through the project area in person.

Initial Walkthrough and Project Goals

Upon arriving, I met the property owner and began walking the land. It didn’t take long to understand the two main goals for this project:

1. Reduce wildfire risk through strategic brush clearing.

2. Open up the property to make hunting easier and improve accessibility.

The terrain ranged from mildly steep to very steep, but fortunately, there were very few rocks to deal with. The vegetation included hawthorns, tall dry grass, blackberries, and multiflora rose, all common fuel sources for wildfires in our area.

I explained that Rugged Land’s ASV RT-65 skid steer equipped with a 72" brush cutter attachment can safely remove material up to about 5 inches in diameter. Unfortunately, many of the hawthorns were much larger than that, but we agreed that I would clear as much as possible and leave behind the larger trees for a future contractor with a mulching attachment (also known as a masticator).

Planning and Estimate

After measuring and reviewing the site, I determined that the total area needing work was roughly three acres. Given the dense vegetation and steep slopes, I estimated about 10 hours of work to complete the primary clearing area. The customer approved the estimate, and we scheduled the job.

On-Site Work

A few days later, I returned with the ASV RT-65 and brush cutter and got to work. I began by cutting down the tall, dry grass that surrounded the denser patches of brush. This part went quickly (grass is easy to mow) but once I reached the thick stands of hawthorn, blackberry, and multiflora rose, progress slowed.

As I pushed deeper into the property, the slopes became steeper, requiring me to operate up and down the hill instead of across to prevent the machine from tipping. It’s slower, more cautious work, but safety and control are always priorities.

After about 10 hours of operation, I had cleared the main sections we planned for. The larger hawthorns remained, but the area was dramatically opened up and far safer than before.

Results and Takeaways

When the work was complete, the property looked transformed.

• The tall grass and underbrush were gone, reducing potential wildfire fuel.

• The main hunting area was opened up, improving sight lines and accessibility.

• The landowner could now move more freely through the property and maintain it more easily going forward.

Even though some of the larger hawthorns couldn’t be removed with Rugged Land’s brush cutter, the project achieved both of the client’s goals: reducing fire risk and reclaiming usable land.

Looking Ahead

Jobs like this one highlight the challenges and rewards of operating in the rugged terrain of the Blue Mountains. Every property is unique, but with the right equipment and local experience, Rugged Land helps landowners reclaim their land safely and sustainably.

If you have overgrown brush, steep slopes, or wildfire concerns on your property contact Rugged Land for a free estimate today.