Discouraging Fire

How safe are your home and surroundings from fire? University of California fire mitigation advisor Ken Blonski offers a few preventive gardening techniques to significantly reduce the risk of a house fire:

Clear the area that's within 10 feet of your home of all flammable materials, including vegetation, firewood and gas tanks. Many homes have vents under the roof's eaves, and any fuel sources within the home zone could send burning embers floating into the house.

Keep up with garden maintenance such as raking yard debris, including pine needles, dry leaves and twigs.

Periodically clean out the gutters and sweep off your porch to shield your house from possible fire conductors. "Fire is very fluid and you could almost think of it in a sense like a liquid," says Blonski.

Because fire moves from vegetation to vegetation, it's critical to create distance between plants. You also want to incorporate vegetation that won't carry fire readily. The movement of fire from one plant to the next is what Blonski refers to as the "fuel mosaic." If plants are spaced far apart, the fire is less able to spread, but if plants are located closely together, then the fire can spread and gain strength.

When planning a garden, look for plants that retain a high moisture content and exhibit very little woody material and or debris such as rosemary, African daisy, periwinkle and ice plant. You may also want to consult your local nursery for the best choices for your particular climate zone. Remember to water your plants regularly. Healthy plants with the proper moisture level take a lot longer to burn.

And when it comes to fire safety, size really does matter. Arrange your landscaping so that tall shrubs and trees are located away from the house. Blonski recommends a distance of at least 10 feet or more between the house and the canopy of trees, but more is obviously better.

Intersperse the taller plants with medium and short plantings. Position low-growing vegetation closer to the house to avoid creating a "fire-ladder" effect. Many homeowners unknowingly create a potential fire ladder by arranging plants from shortest to tallest for maximum curb appeal.

Master gardener Paul James encourages gardeners to become more fire-conscious. "Even if you live in an area that's not particularly prone to fires, it's better to be safe," he says, "especially with something as precious as your home and its belongings."