California wildfires are becoming more frequent, intense and destructive. While we used to prepare for fire season each fall, now we need to work year-round to make our homes and gardens more fire resilient.
Here are some easy and effective steps to take.
The most significant cause of home ignition are embers, small pieces of burning material that can travel by the wind more than a mile from a wildfire. Embers can create spot fires when they land on combustible materials such as dry leaves in roof gutters, near basement and attic vents, or in your garden.
To reduce potential ignition from embers, create areas of defensible space. These eliminate pathways for a wildfire to burn directly to your home and establish buffers between your home, garden and the wildland. Defensible space also makes room for firefighters to extinguish embers and spot fires, and establishes safe evacuation routes. To create defensible space, focus on three zones. Start with your house and work your way out.
Zone zero is the 5-foot area immediately surrounding your home and other structures. Eliminate all combustible materials and vegetation in zone zero to reduce the potential for direct flame contact from ember ignitions.
• Clean up leaves and needles from roofs and gutters
• Remove tree limbs overhanging the roof
• Remove organic materials, including accumulated leaves, plants, mulch, planter boxes, woody vegetation and climbing plants
• Replace wood fences adjacent to structures with metal
• Replace wood gates, trellises, arbors and lattice with metal
• Move propane tanks and wood piles 30 feet away or store in noncombustible containers
• Replace natural fiber doormats
• Store plastic garbage and recycling containers in noncombustible enclosures
Zone 0 is a perfect location for walkways or hardscaping with pavers, rock mulch or pea gravel. It may not be possible to remove all vegetation; consider sparsely planted, widely separated, low-growing, nonwoody plants without organic mulch.
Zone 1 is 5 to 30 feet from your home. Break up paths between garden beds, shrubs and trees with hardscape, gravel or soil, so that if a wildfire enters this area, vegetation will not burn up to your house or into tree crowns.
• Use hardscape or gravel to separate shrubby bushes, perennials and groundcovers
• Remove all dead debris
• Limb up trees by removing branches 6 feet from the ground to reduce ladder fuels
• Space trees so that crowns are at least 10 to 15 feet apart at maturity
• Avoid planting trees in rows or hedges
• Prune plants regularly by removing dead or dying plant material
• Avoid massing shrubs at tree bases
• Add organic amendments to increase the soil’s moisture capacity
• Avoid gorilla hair mulch, which is highly flammable; use large wood chips instead, but as they can also burn, apply sparingly and not continuously
While all plants burn, some may burn faster than others. As you consider adding plants in Zone 1, chose those that are water-wise and ecologically sound, well maintained and in good health. Good options include California natives and pollinator-friendly or drought-tolerant plants.
Finally, Zone 2 is everything beyond 30 feet from your home. Lower the flame heights and slow the spread of an approaching wildfire.
• Reduce the density of trees, shrubs and woody plants
• Trim tree branches at least 10 feet away from other trees
• Limb up lower tree branches at least 10 feet
• Eliminate dead or dying trees and vegetation
• Remove fallen leaves, twigs, bark and small branches
Creating defensible space becomes even more critical if you live on a slope near a canyon or ridge. Fire travels faster uphill by preheating vegetation from below, making it easier to ignite. If you have space, consider constructing a stone or concrete wall between your house and fire’s most-likely path. Vegetation on slopes should be low in height and volume.
For more resources, go to marinmg.ucanr.edu/BASICS/FIRESMARTLANDSCAPING/MMG and firesafemarin.org/create-a-fire-smart-yard.
Sponsored by UC Cooperative Extension, the University of California Marin Master Gardeners provide science- and research-based information for home gardeners. Email questions to helpdesk@marinmg.org. Attach photos for inquiries about plant pests or diseases. The office is closed for drop-in visits. Subscribe to the Leaflet, UC Marin Master Gardener’s free quarterly e-newsletter, at marinmg.ucanr.edu
Source: www.mercurynews.com