>In the East where I live, there is not much fire danger so often beekeepers 
>ignore the weeds until the hives are invisible.

I belong to this camp - weeds around hives provide a microclimate of still 
air and make it easier for bees to land, even when there is a strong wind; 
weeds never seem to be a problem to the bees.

In the winter it may be a different story, as dense vegetation can harbour 
damp.  Then I like to see some of the weeds tramped down, or cut, to allow 
air into the immediate area of the hive - say a radius of 2-3 feet.

Best wishes

Peter
52.194546N, -1.673618W 

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