Living in a Natural Fire Environment
Examples of Local Fire Behavior
Frequently Asked Questions About Defensible Space
Creating an Effective Defensible Space
Firescape - Fire Safe Landscape Design
Other Considerations in Making Your Home Survivable
Photo courtesy CDF
Lawn can be an effective landscape feature in Firescaping.
Photo courtesy of Ben Hammock
Firescaping is a type of landscape design that reduces a home's vulnerability to wildfire. The goal is to develop and design a landscape with plants that offer fire protection and enhance the property. The idea is to surround the home with things that are less likely to burn.
Proper plant selection, placement and maintenance can diminish the possibility of ignition, lower fire intensity, and reduce how quickly a fire spreads.
Zone 1: Moist and Trim
Choose "firewise" plants. Low-growing, firewise plants resist catching fire and provide little fuel. Lawns, groundcovers, perennials and annuals form a greenbelt that is regularly watered and maintained to eliminate dry plant litter. Rock mulches, patios, masonry or rock planters are excellent fuel breaks. Be creative with boulders, riprap, and dry streambeds. This zone may contain occasional individual shrubs and trees located at least 10 feet from the house.
The traditional foundation planting of junipers is not a viable solution in a firescape design. Because junipers, other conifers and broadleaf evergreens contain oils, resins and waxes that make these plants burn with great intensity, use of these plants should be minimized within 30 feet of structure. A firescape landscape lets plants and garden elements reveal their innate beauty by leaving space between plants and groups of plants.
Characteristics of Firewise Plants
- Little seasonal accumulation of dead vegetation
- Open, loose branching habit
- Non-resinous woody material, avoid junipers and other conifers
- Low volume of total vegetation
- High moisture content in leaves
- Slow growth requires less frequent pruning
Zone 2: Low and Sparse
Slow growing, drought tolerant shrubs and groundcovers keep fire near ground level. Native vegetation can be retained here if it is low growing and does accumulate dry, flammable material. The transition between zones creates breaks in the path to slow advancing flames.
Zone 3: High and Clean
Fire intensity is reduced where it can burn less fuel. Native trees are thinned and dry debris on the ground is removed. Prune tree branches to 10' or more above ground to reduce the possibility of surface fires spreading into tree crowns. This zone requires removing overgrowth and major pruning every three to five years. Specimen trees can be planted at the edge of this zone if pruned properly.
Regular Maintenance
Experience and research has shown that a distance of 100-150 feet around
your home needs this comprehensive landscaping. Greater distances are
necessary on steep slopes or windswept exposures.
Most plants accumulate excess woody material and all shed seasonal foliage.
Branches spread, often touching other vegetation. Weeds grow between
landscape plants. You must actively reduce this accumulation of potential
fuel by regular pruning, mowing and raking, followed by proper disposal. The
less accumulated plant debris, the slower a fire will spread.
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Contact:
Brian
Ballou
Oregon Department of Forestry
(541) 665-0662
Last update: Jan. 24, 2006