How to Make A Landscape Fire Resistant

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By Gardengates
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This is one view no one wants in their landscape!

There is nothing more important than making your home and landscape safe. Wildfires are cropping up all over the country. There are things you can do to make sure your landscaping is working for, not against you!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

First you want to remove piles of flammable material from around your home. This means clearing dry or dead brush, moving firewood away from structures and securing any materials you might be collecting in sheds or other buildings. Don't build up fuel resources next to your house.
Step 2

Paths are not only ornamental, but practical

Leave gaps in your garden design. Put in paths, patios, roads and other useful areas that are free of burnable material. These areas can be highly ornamental and even fun -- like a swimming pool or athletic court areas. Non -flammable areas will work as firebreaks and slow the progress of wildfires on your property.
Step 3

Check your local fire department for lists of flame resistant plants and use lots of them in your garden areas.
Step 4

Grow areas of moisture-retaining plants. Drought-tolerant plantings are wonderful in areas where water is growing scarce. But plant the most lush areas near the house where the extra water will take a little longer to burn off.
Step 5

Avoid growing big, tall trees right next to your house. Trees do indeed shade the home during hot months and they are beautiful, but if you want a tree up close and personal, then choose varieties that are slower to burn. Avoid pines and many eucalyptus varieties as these have strong, concentrated oils in their sap that makes them virtually explode in fires. And make sure you keep branches of all trees away from your roof where they can scrape off roofing materials and conduct flames.
Step 6

Mix green areas with gravel areas for textural firebreaks

Consider adding areas of rock or creating gravel gardens. Ponds and water features also discourage fires.
Step 7

Clean leaves and pine needles from drainage areas and gutters. These can build up without being noticed and create perfect tinder to fan tiny hot ashes into flames.
Step 8

Although there is no such thing as a fire-proof landscape, you can keep your landscape clean and low on fire fuels so it not only looks great, but discourages roaring wildfires from consuming your house and home.

Comments

emergencyops said

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on 2/4/2009 Excellent information. More tips can be found at the Firewise website.

debraleebaldwin said

on 1/30/2009 If you live in Southern CA, are concerned about wildfire, and would like to know more about firewise plants, Google "Did Succulents Save Her Home?" This Los Angeles Times article ran shortly after the wildfires that devastated San Diego County in the fall of '07, and tells the story of a Rancho Santa Fe home that was "saved" by its landscaping.