FACTS OF LIFE – Hundreds of wildfires strike Canada every year. It’s not a matter if a home is at risk, but rather when. All outdoor spaces require attention including rocky landscapes with drought resistant vegetation. Although desired by many – maintenance free properties don’t exist.
As all plants naturally produce leaves, blossoms, seeds and some form of fruit, they all require water, pruning and cleanup to not become unmanageable, dried up and – flammable. Empty landscapes without plants present nothing to slow the spread of fire or shield buildings from embers. Non-maintained properties situated near or within wildland areas, are at particular risk to wildfires.
Fewer houses are lost to wildfires when homeowners take steps such as clearing trees/brush away from buildings, keeping firewood stacks, propane tanks and vehicles at least 30 feet from the home and installing screens over dwelling openings to keep embers out.
| Flammable Garden Plants – The Ultimate Fuel |
All coniferous (needle) and some evergreen plants are extremely flammable because of their shaggy, rough peeling bark characteristics and their volatile resins. They should be avoided if possible or kept as far as possible away from any structures. Conifers such as cedars and junipers enjoy high popularity in landscapes as hedging or feature plants and it is commonly believed they produce little organic debris. Inside they are however mostly full of dead plant matter. Because they are uncomfortable to the touch or cause skin irritations, they are difficult to handle and thus to keep clean.
| 24 Flammable Plants To Avoid Acacia, Cedar, Bamboo, Broom, Chamise, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Fir, Gas Plant, Hemlock, Holly, Honeysuckle, Ivy, Juniper, Maiden Grass, Manzanita, Melaleuca, Palm, Pampas Grass, Pine, Rosemary, Spruce, Thuja, Toyon. |
DEFENSIBLE SPACE
Defensible space is essential for increasing chances of a home surviving a wildfire. It is a buffer between buildings, garden plants and wildland area that surround it. This space helps protect structures from catching fire – either from embers, direct flame contact or radiant heat. It also provides firefighters a safe area to work in.
Immediate Zone 0 to 5 Feet: The first 5 feet from your home is the most important. Keeping the area closest to buildings, structures, and decks clear will prevent embers from igniting materials that can spread the fire to your home. Use gravel, pavers, concrete or plain dirt. No coniferous & evergreen plants or combustible bark or mulch in this zone.
Remove all dead and dying plants, weeds, and debris (leaves, needles, etc.) from your roof, gutter, deck, porch, stairways, and under any areas of your home. Remove all branches within 10 feet of any chimney or stovepipe outlet. Limit combustible items (like outdoor furniture and planters) on top of decks. Relocate firewood and lumber to Zone 2. Replace combustible fencing, gates, and arbors attached to the home with noncombustible alternatives. Consider relocating garbage and recycling containers outside this zone. Consider relocating boats, RVs, vehicles, and other combustible items outside this zone.
| Bark & Needle Mulches – Fire Hazards Spontaneous combustion can happen when a decomposing, organic material such as mulch generates enough heat to ignite without an outside source. Because of this, a large or compacted area of mulch can create sufficient heat to spontaneously combust. This can occur in planting beds or pots and fire can spread to decks and building walls. |
Intermediate Zone 5 to 30 Feet: Keep it lean, clean and green within 30 feet. Regularly clear dead or dry vegetation and create space between trees. During times of drought when watering is limited, pay special attention to clearing dead or dying material. Removing dead plants and creating space between trees and shrubs creates a buffer for your property and reduces potential fuel for fire. Remove all dead plants, grass, and weeds. Remove dead or dry leaves and needles. Trim trees regularly to keep branches a minimum of 10 feet from other trees. Create a separation between trees, shrubs, and items that could catch fire, such as patio furniture, wood piles, swing sets, etc.
Extended Zone 30 to 100 Feet: Reduce potential fuel within 100 feet or the property line. Cut or mow annual grass down to a maximum height of 4 inches. Create horizontal space between shrubs and trees. Create vertical space between grass, shrubs and trees. Remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones, and small branches. Keep 10 feet of clearance around exposed wood piles, down to bare mineral soil, in all directions. Clear areas around outbuildings and propane tanks. Keep 10 feet of clearance to bare mineral soil and no flammable vegetation for an additional 10 feet around their exterior.
Vertical Spacing Trees and Shrubs – Maintain space between the lowest tree branches and the ground or shrubs. Remove all tree branches at least six feet from the ground. Allow extra vertical space between shrubs and trees. Lack of vertical space can allow a fire to move from the ground to the brush to the treetops like a ladder. This leads to more intense fire closer to your home. Keep at least three times the height of any shrubs between the shrubs and the lowest branches of trees. Example: A 5-foot shrub is growing near a tree. 15 feet of clearance is needed between the top of the shrub and the lowest tree branch.
Horizontal Spacing – Horizontal space depends on the slope of the land and the height of the shrubs or trees. Leave more space between vegetation on bigger slopes. Space between shrubs – Flat or mild slope (less than 20%): Two times the height of the shrub. – Mild to moderate slope (20-40%): Four times the height of the shrub. Moderate to steep slope (greater than 40%): Six times the height of the shrub. Space between trees – Flat or mild slope (less than 20%): 10 feet. – Mild to moderate slope (20-40%): 20 feet. – Moderate to steep slope (greater than 40%): 30 feet.
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