It starts at home
6 ways to plan for a fire-smart landscape in 2021
Our climate is changing, our residential communities are closer to our forests and our forests have a lot of fuel. The combination of these factors has led to increasing numbers of catastrophic wildland fires. We need to find better ways to manage our residential property to help protect our homes, but that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our aesthetics and install gravel. We can have gardens and landscaping with pleasing variations in color and textures that complement our homes and protect and encourage wildlife. All we will need to do is be more vigilant with plant care and property maintenance to reduce fuel on your property.
What better time than January to make garden planning and maintenance resolutions for the 2021 fire season?
Resolution No. 1
Remove combustible material under your deck. That is anything that will burn, such as construction materials, recreational equipment, tools, brooms, even plastic plant containers from the nursery. Even though it may be convenient during the cold winter months to have a firewood pile close to your home, move it at least 30 feet away for fire safety.
Resolution No. 2
Slow, spread and sink the winter rains. Using permeable materials in your garden and around your home, such as stones or pavers, allow water to flow through to the soil.
These materials also act as fuel breaks that can stop fire from spreading. Ideally, the pathway to and around the foundation of your home will be permeable materials, which complement your existing landscape.
Resolution No. 3
Take care of your plants. Plants, bushes and trees that thrive will be more resilient to heat and embers from a wildland fire. A fire-smart landscape is a healthy landscape. Starting 5 feet from the perimeter of your home, observe the
sun exposure, climate conditions and soil type, which will inform your choice of plants and their placement on your property. Native plants are well-suited to our Mediterranean climate, are easy-to- care for, require little water once established and require little or no maintenance.
When choosing plants, consider their mature size and space them appropriately in the garden in relation to neighboring plants. Plants that have to compete with their neighbors for soil nutrients and sunlight are not going to be as healthy as those that have all of the nutrients they need. Keeping your plants thinned and pruned of dried and diseased wood keeps the plant healthy, decreases fuel and increases space between plant groupings. Spacing in a firesmart landscape is key in preventing flames from hopscotching from one plant to another or climbing from the ground into a tree canopy.
Remember to protect tender plants during the various sea
sons; cover them on frosty nights and keep them well-hydrated during the hot or windy summer and fall days.
Resolution No. 4
Tune-up your irrigation system. Water is a precious resource. Keep plants properly hydrated using just the necessary amount of water to help them thrive.
Resolution No. 5
Protect and encourage wildlife. As you plan and care for your firesmart landscape, not only are you protecting your home, but you are also protecting wildlife and providing habitat. The amount and types of plants in your property and how you care for them play a critical role in determining the abundance and diversity of wildlife they will support.
Resolution No. 6
Commit to keeping your landscape neat, wellgroomed and free of excess
fuel throughout the year.
We’re all looking forward to 2021 and what better place to start than close to home.
The University of California Marin Master Gardeners are sponsored by UC Cooperative Extension. For questions about gardening, plant pests or diseases, call 415- 473- 4204 from 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays, bring in samples or pictures to 1682 Novato Blvd., Suite 150B, Novato, or email helpdesk@marinmg.org.