Don't Let Your House Go Up in Flames - Fire Resistant Landscaping
Each year, homes are destroyed by wildfires. If you live in or are planning to move to an area where homes are intermixed with woodlands, your home may be in jeopardy, and your life and the lives of your family may be at risk.
Ultimately, firefighters' lives and homes will be better protected when homes are landscaped to be able to resist wildfire damage with minimal or no need for human intervention. This is entirely technically feasible, and is necessary if communities located within fire-prone landscapes are to become sustainable.
The first action is creating a defensible space around your home. Allow at least 30 feet, and in very fire prone areas at least 100 feet free of combustible materials. This means reducing the amount of wildfire fuel from shrubs, dead plant material and firewood. This area should utilize fire-resistant vegetation that is healthy and green for most of the year.
Defensible space is an area around a structure where forest fuels and vegetation are treated, cleared, or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire towards the structure. It also reduces the chance of a structure fire moving from the building to the surrounding forest. Your house is more likely to withstand a wildfire if grasses, brush, trees, and other common forest fuels are managed to reduce a fire's intensity.
Here are some more suggestions on how to make home landscaping more resistant to wildfires.
DO
Keep roof and gutters clean by removing pine needles, leaves and other debris.
Use masonry walls, patios, walkways and pools to create a safety barrier close to structures.
Plant trees and shrubbery far enough apart so that their crowns will not touch when vegetation reaches maturity.
Prune low-growing, deep-rooted ground covers close to structures on hillsides.
Use timers on automatic sprinkler systems for consistent irrigation and water conservation.
Urge neighborhood cooperation to develop area-wide landscaping that inhibits flames from spreading.
DON'T
Allow dead tree limbs or underbrush to accumulate within 30 feet of your home.
Landscape shrubbery and adjacent trees in a "fire ladder" that allows flames to quickly jump from ground level to heights.
Plant highly flammable trees such as eucalyptus, pine and juniper. Avoid flammable shrubbery.
Build narrow archways or passageways, or plant trees in a manner that restricts access for fire-fighting equipment.
Stack wood piles against residence walls.
Water too frequently if a natural area tends to dry out late in the season.
Consider too, that regular landscape maintenance provides fire safety. Over time, plants grow and spread; mulches dry out; leaves and pine needles accumulate. All contribute to the fuels from which a fire grows. Proper maintenance improves the appearance and helps protect your home from wildfire.
Using fire resistant plants in your landscaping is part of the overall fire defense plan.
What are fire-resistant plants?
Fire resistant plants are plants that don't readily catch light from a flame or other flame starting sources. Although fire-resistant plants can be injured or even killed by fire, their foliage and stems don't add significantly to the fuel and, therefore, the fire's power.
Plants that are fire-resistant have the following characteristics:
Leaves are moist and flexible.
Plants that contain little dead wood and tend not to amass dry, dead material within the plant.
Sap is water-like and does not have a powerful scent.
Most deciduous trees and shrubs are fire-resistant.
However, keep in mind that even fire resistant plants can burn, especially if they are not kept healthy.
Through proper planning and implementation, homeowners can lessen the likelihood of wildfires damaging their home, while still enjoying living in forested/grassy areas. The techniques addressed here are simple yet effective ways of protecting dwellings from fire.
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