How to Create a Fire-Wise Landscape

How can you protect your home and property against a wildfire that begins in the forest or woodlands near your house?

There is no such thing as ‚”fireproof” landscape (unless it is completely covered in concrete), but there are landscapes that are ‚”fire-wise” and can help prevent the spread of fire damage.

A fire-wise landscape is one that gives buildings the best chance for surviving a wildfire. Fires need fuel, oxygen, and heat to burn. Fire-wise landscapes are low in fuel, and provide a buffer between the landscape and house to keep the fire far enough away that firefighters have a chance to defend the building.

Here are some tips for creating a ‚”fire-wise” landscape around your home:

Pick Fire-Wise Plants

Fire-wise landscape plants tend to be water-wise, meaning they have low water use, such as low-growing, succulent plants that will hold a lot of moisture during the fire season (middle to late summer). These plants don’t accumulate a lot of debris, are easy to maintain, and are attractive.

All plants will burn if a fire is severe enough, but some plants are more fire-prone than others: conifers such as pines and spruces tend to be very flammable, while many broadleaved trees are fairly fire resistant.

Keep Plants Away from the House

Fire-wise landscape design is a lot about looking at a landscape the way a firefighter would. Plants, trees, grasses, bushes are all fuel for the fire. So don’t plant shrubs too close to the house.

Keep adequate spacing between plants so that fire does not easily spread from one plant to another.

Don’t place tall shrubs under or near the eaves of the house. Rather than solid plantings throughout the yard, try to break up shrubbery areas with well irrigated bands of sod, isolating plants that may not be so fire-wise away from the house.

Create a Fire Break

About 75 to 100 feet from the house create a fire break, with low mown, well-irrigated grass. Groupings of trees are usually a good landscaping technique, but in fire-prone areas it can be hazardous. Thinning these groups will slow the spread of fire.

Use Proper Pruning and Keep up on Maintenance

Fire-wise landscaping is just good common sense landscaping and involves keeping up with a landscape and not letting debris and leaf litter accumulate. Make sure to prune trees to keep lower branches from igniting roofs or soffits.

Remove vines from trees which act as ladder fuels that carry fire to tree canopies.

Keep shrubbery trimmed away from and low around the foundation of the house and keep shrubs separate and not in one mass. Remove dead branches and leaves from the base of the shrubs and bed areas.

Irrigate Your Property

Install an irrigation system if the property does not have one to keep the perimeter of the property and the sod and plants surrounding the house in a state of higher moisture content which lessens the opportunity to carry a fire.

Allow Firefighter Access

Firefighters need to have access to all parts of your property. Place fences, trees, retaining walls, etc. so that they don’t restrict firefighting equipment access.

Keep Flammables Away from the House

Don’t store firewood or other flammable debris next to the house. Homeowners ought to consider alternatives to wood decks, such as brick patios or cement tiles.

For more information: National Firewise Communities Program