Landscaping To Reduce Wild Fire Risks For Homeowners.

by Anna Glendenning | More from this Blogger

09 May 2006 11:33 AM

It's spring and the time of the year many of us feel the urge to get out in the yard and start cleaning things up for the upcoming summer. Spring tasks need to be done to make our yards pretty for the summer BB Q's and hot afternoons that lay ahead. It's also a great time to think about risk management and using landscaping maintenance and choices to lower any fire risks our home may now have.

A well-designed and properly maintained area around a home or building offers a "defensible space" This is the area of landscaping where homeowners may achieve fire safety without giving up the visual beauty we all want when we work so hard in our yards all spring! Fire officials recommend homes have a minimum thirty foot vegetation clearance around the structure. Fire fighters use this space when protecting a home during a wildfire. Most homeowners plant shrubs and gardens near their home structure and many properties have limited space around and between other out buildings and structures.

To meet vegetation clearing recommendations, experts at Firewise.org suggest that homeowners consider designing zones around the structure and extending outward. A four zone concept for landscaping design progressively reducing the amount of vegetation and fuel as we get closer to the home and other structures.

• Zone 1- Should be the protection area surrounding the house. Plants and vegetation should be the most fire resistant, in your areas. Along with good irrigation and the correct spacing will help minimize threats from flames and sparks nearing the structure.
• Zone 2- Is the next area and homeowners need to establish vegetation of plants that are fire resistant and low growing. Lawns and flower beds or other small gardens with an irrigation system keep this zone green and healthy and provide an additional layer of fire safety.
• Zone 3- Should be another layer around the home or structure where fuel volume is kept low. Chose plants that are low growing and fire resistant when possible to help provide a decreased fuel volume area. Planting some well-spaced, lower growing and well groomed trees can retard a fire's progress.
• Zone 4 Is the outside area of a homeowners property and should be a natural zone. The use of native or naturalized vegetation is an important step in reducing fire risks in Wildland-Urban Interface areas. Selective thinning and reducing the volume of fuel in this zone is critical. Remove and highly flammable plants from this zone when possible to offers fire protection and maintain a natural appearance.

Thinking about fire safety and risk management landscaping now during the spring could start your projects for the whole spring and summer season and greatly reduce the risk your home may face during the upcoming wild fire season.

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Related Blogs:

• Is Your Home In The Wildland-Urban Interface?
• Landscaping To Reduce Wild Fire Risks For Homeowners.
• Firewise Landscaping: Trees
• Evacuation Planning

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firewise, risk management