Fire Safe Landscape Additions and Improvements Tips

by Anna Glendenning | More from this Blogger

08 Aug 2007 11:31 AM

One thing some people forget is that the first step in managing personal risk is personal responsibility. Homeowners have important obligations to protect their assets and reduce the risk where possible. Every homeowner has the responsibility of planning additions and landscape with the natural risks in mind, and maintaining the home and property in a way to reduce the exposure to losses.

When Considering Additions to your home or property keep these facts in mind:

• If a new deck or patio is planned consider using concrete, bricks or rock rather then wood. Concrete, rock, gravel, brick and stone don't burn. Areas designed with these materials also don't collect debris that same way wood decking does in the spaces between planks.
• If your property has steeper ground or slops consider building retaining walls to reduce the slopes steepness. Retaining walls build to control the degree of a slope will reduce the speed of fire spreading and serve as physical barrier to fire spreading to the structure. Retaining slopes in some cases may also deflect heat from the fire upward and away from the house.
• On very steep slopes, it's a good idea to build steps and walkways. These may serve as a good fire break and slow the spread, and also offer a safe and clear area for the fire department to defend your house. Safety is important to the fire crews and it's more likely a home with safe, well designed landscape will be easier for the fire crew to defend.
• Design the area around the perimeter of the structure to include a defensible barrier. Use rock, gravel and brick around the whole building. This will make it easier to access the full structure for maintenance, serve as a physical barrier to fire spreading and provide a safe area for firefighters' to defend the house.
• Keep vegetation, trees and woodpiles away from the structures on the property. These all serve as fuel for a wildfire and create greater risks the buildings will be involved in a fire.

Learn more about the maintenance of the property and home to reduce the risk of wildfire in the Next Blog.

• Is Your Home In The Wildland-Urban Interface?
• Landscaping To Reduce Wild Fire Risks For Homeowners.
• Firewise Landscaping: Trees
• Wildfire Evacuation Plan: When the Order is Urgent!

Learn more about Anna Glendenning

Anna Glendenning is a mother of four. Two biological children grown and out of college, and two siblings and adopted together in 2003. Anna's Personal Website http://www.adoptiveparentsnetwork.

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