The Landscape News Flash

Protecting Your Home from Brushfire

People who live in the brush-covered hills of California face one of the most dangerous and unique fire exposures of any modern community in the world. However, fire disasters can be avoided and prevented.

Here are some tips on protecting your home from brush fires:

• Use fire retardant plants in and around your landscaping. See below to obtain a free list of fire retardant plants.

• Create a “defensible space” by removing all dry grass, brush, and dead leaves at least 30 feet from your home. Replace native plants with ornamental landscaping plants that are fire resistive.

• Space trees and shrubs at least 10 feet apart. Reduce the number of trees in heavily wooded areas.

• For trees taller than 18 feet, prune lower branches within six feet of the ground to keep ground fires from spreading into treetops.

• Stack firewood and scrap woodpiles at least 30 feet from any structure and clear away flammable vegetation that is within 10 feet of these woodpiles.

• Locate LPG tanks (butane and propane) at least 30 feet from any structure andsurround them with 10 feet of clearance.

• Defensible space must be regularly maintained to be effective.

Please contact me though the Contact us button for a free list of fire retardant plants.