Firescaping: Right landscaping can help protect your home from wildfire

Marini, community education specialist for the UCCE Master Gardeners of Placer County, has become a firescaping specialist – using landscaping to help protect your home from wildfire. He’s recorded a podcast on the topic with Green Acres Nursery & Supply  and practices his own advice.

-- The biggest thing: Create defensible space around your home. 

In wilderness and high-fire areas, CalFire recommends a 100-foot buffer around structures with grasses mowed and potential fuel minimized. The first 5 to 10 feet should be “ember resistant” – nothing that can burn. Use hardscape or gravel, not plants, next to your home.  No trees or shrubs should overhang roofs or come in contact with decks and buildings. 

Within 30 feet of structures, landscaping should be “lean and green”; well maintained and healthy plants spaced far apart. Trees and shrubs should be at least 10 feet apart – no touching branches  – to help keep flames from jumping from branch to branch. No hedges.

-- Before winter, the priority is clean-up. All those fallen pine needles can create a thick thatch; embers can actually burn and spread fire below the thatch, then suddenly erupt into flame. Three inches of pine needles is OK, says CalFire. Otherwise, get out the rake. Remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones and small branches. 

Also clean up and remove fallen branches, downed trees and other large flammable debris.

-- Cut back trees. Remove any limbs that extend near roofs and structures. Eliminate any dead branches or fire ladders.

-- Take care of your trees and keep them healthy. Deep-water, if possible (especially trees near structures). Mulch, mulch, mulch; use green wood chips that still contain some moisture.

-- Watch for signs of drought stress such as dieback or a tree that appears to be leaning.

“When trees totally come out of the ground, you can see how the rootball was compromised,” Marini said. “In drought, the rootball shrinks and the tree becomes unstable.”

Trees along roads or other pavement tend to be at greater risk because their roots are already stressed by constant compaction. 

-- Defensible space is a community effort; your home may still be at risk if your neighbor’s property is a tinderbox. Work with your neighbors to tackle trouble spots.

This season, Marini noted a growing awareness of fire danger and defensible space. “On the positive side, I’ve seen more action since December than I ever have before. People are taking action to reduce fuel.” 

-- October is a great month to transplant perennials, shrubs and trees. Transition your landscape to a plant palette that’s less likely to catch fire.

Some recommended plants: Phlox, yarrow, columbine, carex, coreopsis, delphinium, daylily, hosta, lavender, lupine, salvia, butterfly bush, cotoneaster, mahonia, nandina, spiraea and lilac. Succulents also are good. Recommended trees include: Maple, birch, redbud, dogwood, crabapple, oak and citrus. It is important to note that even fire-resistant plants will burn under the right circumstances, such as poor maintenance. 

For more information on defensible space, see these CalFire recommendations: https://www.fire.ca.gov/dspace/.