Fire Resistant Landscaping Could Save Your Home

Fire Resistant Landscaping Could Save Your Home 
By M Wakefield 
Wildfires will most likely be in the news again this year. As the world's population continues to grow, more people are building homes in rural forested or grassland areas also called the "wildlife urban interface". With the influx of new homeowners in and around such land, the chances of wildfires damaging or destroying homes increase.

Just as appropriate landscaping can help gardeners with water shortages, so may careful landscaping help reduce the risk of significant property damage in the most fire-prone areas. Home owners can benefit from landscaping that create a semi-fireproof zone around the home.

The first step is creating a defensible space that in essence "breaks the chain" of burnable fuel between homes and natural vegetation; slowing or eliminating the fire spread, and allowing firefighters a place to work. Developing defensible space around a dwelling requires that these objectives be met: 1. Create a non-flammable barrier zone adjacent to the house; 2. Establish less flammable vegetation beyond the nonflammable zone; and 3. Increase moisture within the protection zones.

Here are some more suggestions on how to make home landscaping more resistant to wildfires.

Always keep a watchful eye towards reducing the fuel volumes available to fire. Be aware of growth habits of the plants within your landscape and of the changes that occur throughout the seasons.
Remove annuals and prune perennials after they have gone to seed or when the stems become overly dry.
Rake up leaves and other litter as it builds up through the season. 
Mow or trim grasses to a low height within your defensible space. 
Remove plant parts damaged by snow, wind, frost , or other agents. 
Prune all plants, trees, and shrubs in a timely manner; this is critical. Pruning not only reduces fuel volumes but also maintains healthier plants by producing more vigorous growth. 
Maintain your landscaping. This is a critical part of your home's defense system.

Consider too, that regular landscape maintenance provides fire safety. Over time, plants grow and spread; mulches dry out; leaves and pine needles accumulate. All contribute to the fuels from which a fire grows. Proper maintenance improves the appearance and helps protect your home from wildfire.

Using fire resistant plants in your landscaping is part of the overall fire defense plan. 
What are fire-resistant plants? 
Fire resistant plants are plants that don't readily ignite from a flame or other ignition sources. Although fire-resistant plants can be damaged or even killed by fire, their foliage and stems don't contribute significantly to the fuel and, therefore, the fire's intensity. 
Plants that are fire-resistant have the following characteristics: 
Leaves are moist and supple. 
Plants that have little dead wood and tend not to accumulate dry, dead material within the plant. 
Sap is water-like and does not have a strong odor. 
Most deciduous trees and shrubs are fire-resistant. 
However, it's important to remember that even fire resistant plants can burn, particularly if they are not maintained in a healthy condition.

It is impossible to control the factors that start the wildfires that occur in numerous parts of the world; homeowners can alter their landscaping and thereby increase the odds of their homes and property surviving a fire, while still enjoying the nature's beauty.

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