Creating the Firewise Garden Takes Planning, Planting and
MaintenancePresented by Judith Leraas Cook
Project ManagerFirewise Communities/USA
International Master Gardeners Association Conference, May 2007Little Rock, Arkansas
What Is Firewise?
• Firewise Communities Program– Sponsored by the National Wildfire
Coordinating Group– Liaisons in 44 states and two BIA regions– 222 Firewise Communities/USA sites
nationwide• $14,182,894 invested since 2003• Almost 300,000 homeowners
What Makes a Garden Firewise?
• The Firewise Communities Vision - With adequate planning and cooperation among varying interests, wildfires can occur without disastrous loss of life, property and resources
A Firewise Garden
• Generally lies within 100-200 feet of the home
• The best way to protect a home from destruction during an extreme wildfire is to take actions within that space---the home ignition zone
The Home Ignition Zone
A Firewise Garden
• A garden can ensure that no high-intensity flames can occur within 100’ of a home– If steep slopes lie
below a structure, this area may extend to 150-200’
City of Beverly Hills, CA Firewise Garden
Planning the Firewise Garden
• Site characteristics give clues to potential wildfire behavior– Is it flat? On a slope?– Does it include a water
feature or a stream?– Is it subject to
prevailing winds?
Planning the Firewise Garden
• The design should accommodate nearby structures– Minimize the volume
of vegetation as you go nearer to homes or outbuildings
Planning the Firewise Garden
– Create a fire-free area that extends five feet out from the home and its attached decks, fences, etc. Can include…
• Mowed, irrigated grass• Flower beds of high-
moisture-content perennials
Planning the Firewise Garden
• Fire-free area can also include…– Nonflammable
landscaping materials like rocks and pavers
Planning the Firewise Garden
• Create fuel breaks with gravel walkways, paths and small lawns, if appropriate
• Water features add to a garden’s ambience
Planning the Firewise Garden
• Wood fences and mulch should not touch structures
Planning the Firewise Garden
• About trees -– Within 30’ of a home,
leave 20-30’ of space between the canopies or between small clusters of two to three trees
– Beyond 30’ from a home, leave 10-20 feet of space between canopies
Planning the Firewise Garden
• Well-placed deciduous trees can act as a shield during a wildfire, blocking its intense heat
Planning the Firewise Garden
• Careful selection of fire-resistant plants can slow the spread of a wildfire and reduce its intensity
Planting the Firewise Garden
• Most deciduous trees and shrubs are fire-resistant
• Native vegetation is often fire-adapted
• Fire-resistant plants can be damaged or killed during a wildfire, but do not contribute measurably to its intensity
Planting the Firewise Garden
• Fire-resistant plant characteristics– Leaves are moist and
supple– Sap is water-like and
does not have a strong odor
– Have little dead wood and tend not to accumulate dry material
Firewise Plants
Planting the Firewise Garden
• Highly flammable plant characteristics– Contain fine, dry or
dead material like twigs, needles and leaves
– Leaves, twigs and stems contain volatile waxes, terpenes or oils
– Leaves are aromatic
Planting the Firewise Garden
• Highly flammable plant characteristics– Sap is gummy,
resinous and has strong odor
– May have loose or papery bark
Planting the Firewise Garden
• Flammable trees and shrubs are typically conifer and non-deciduous broadleaf species
• Both ornamental and native plants can be highly flammable
Maintenance is Important
• During a wildfire, the potential exists for a blizzard of firebrands (embers)– Firebrands collect similarly to falling leaves– Flammable items can ignite, starting small fires
Maintenance is Important
• A clean, healthy garden is not a receptive surface for firebrands (embers)
Maintaining the Firewise Garden
• Avoid developing ‘ladder fuel’ conditions
Maintaining the Firewise Garden
• Proper, regular pruning reaps fire-preparedness dividends
Maintaining the Firewise Garden
• Keep plant debris to a minimum…– Remove dead
leaves and stems
Maintaining the Firewise Garden
• Keep plant debris to a minimum…– Rake– Mow– Dispose of debris
promptly
Maintaining the Firewise Garden
• About trees -– Within 30 feet of a
home, limb trees up eight feet above the ground
– Remove accumulations of dead branch and stem wood under and between trees
Maintaining the Firewise Garden
• About trees -– Beyond 30 feet, prune
lower branches up six to eight feet from the ground
– Remove accumulations of dead branch and stem wood under and between trees
Maintaining the Firewise Garden
• About plants -– Should be carefully
spaced and low-growing
– Ensure they stay healthy and green
– If mulch is used, keep it moist as it can become flammable when dry
In Conclusion, A Firewise Garden Is….
• Well-planned, with proper plant spacing and the adjacent structures in mind
• Planted with fire-resistant species• Well-maintained, pruned and trimmed
Questions?
• www.firewise.org• www.firewise.org/usa,
(Practical Firewise Information contains fire-resistant plant lists)
Grand Haven, Michigan Firewise GardenMaster Gardener Project