What can you do to protect your yard from fire? Learn about “firescaping”—with 11 natural steps to help protect your property and make it less vulnerable to fire, especially if you live in a high-risk area.
Western wildfires are at historic levels, destroying over a million acres of land. That’s more than the size of Delaware. Tens of thousands of people in California have had to evacuate their homes, not knowing if they will have a house to go back to. These fires burn everything in their path and can consume your home in minutes.
Though I watch helpless from across the country, Califoria’s fire season does give thought to how regular homeowners can take natural steps to protect their yards. This is especially true in a high-risk area but any of us can experience a fire on our property.
How to Firecape Your Garen
- Choose low-growing plants with a high moisture content that makes them less flammable.
- Don’t plant ornamental grass or high-resin plants such as junipers, conifers, or evergreens close to your house.
- Grow deciduous trees. They are more fire resistant than evergreens because their leaves have a high moisture content.
- Keep grass mowed and remove any dead weeds or plants from your yard.
- Store wood 30 feet from the house.
- Remove dead leaves, branches, and pine cones from the yard and from the roof and gutters of your house.
- Prune dead limbs from your trees.
- Remove any branches that hang over your roof.
- Keep any flammable outdoor furniture away from trees and shrubs.
- Remove vegetation from around and underneath your deck.
- Use fire-resistant mulch.
No plant is 100% fireproof but here is a short list of plants that were recommended by the US Fish and Wildlife Service:
- thyme,
- ajuga,
- succulents,
- creeping phlox,
- yarrow,
- coreopsis,
- alyssum,
- California poppies,
- coneflowers,
- columbine,
- bergenia,
- daylilies,
- lupine,
- lamb’s ears,
- iris,
- heuchera
See this wonderful firescape demonstration garden created by the city of Santa Barbara.
Even if you don’t live in a fire-prone area, fire can happen anywhere. Many of these tips are just commonsense ways to protect your home from damage.
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The things I learned ( my brother was in the volunteer fire department ) is to start early in the year, like mid-spring, for brush clearance ( not just mowing ). Yes clearance!!! We see many people start mowing the brush around their property around late June/early July or later and leave it on the ground when the brush is already dry, this is too late and too little. Brush mowings left on the ground are fuel just waiting to be ignited and for the wind to carry them forward to create more fire. If you must wait until the brush is dry use a disc harrow which turns the brush into the soil therefore removing fuels. Trim tree branches up 8 feet from the ground where possible. Know where those areas around your house (and buildings ) are where the wind deposits the leaves and remove them at least every other week, add to your compost pile ( simple wire fencing circle works ). Keep brush trimmed from along your driveway and roadways ( note: the county does not clear the brush from roadways ). Do not pile up stuff against your house, garage or shop. Have enough hose length to reach the corners of your property, install water lines to each corner and install spigots for your hoses, 2 sets of hoses are better. If you can afford it install in-ground water storage tanks and keep a pump and generator ( the power WILL go out!!! ).
Remember "NO FUEL, NO FIRE".
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