USE FIRE SMART PLANTS, MATERIALS AND DESIGN TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF FIRE TO YOUR HOME

Fire Smart Landscaping Basics

A fire-smart landscape refers to a property design and maintenance approach that reduces the risk of wildfire damage by creating defensible space around your home. Defensible space is the buffer you create between a building on your property and any combustible material. The goal is to manage vegetation, structures, and other materials in a way that slows or stops the spread of fire, protecting your home and giving firefighters a safer space to operate.

Defensible Space Defined 

Defensible space is the area around a building where vegetation and other potential fire fuels have been managed to reduce fire risk. It is typically divided into zones:

1. Zone 0: Ember Resistant Zone (0–5 feet from the structure) This area focuses on non-combustible materials to prevent direct flame contact and ember ignitions.
2. Zone 1: Lean, Clean & Green (5–30 feet from the house): Vegetation is thinned, and fire-resistant landscaping is used to reduce the fire's spread, remove dead vegetation and debris. Keep this area irrigated.
3. Zone 2: Fuel Reduction (30–100 feet or more): Fuels such as trees and shrubs are spaced out, and dead vegetation is removed to reduce the fire's intensity.

A fire-smart landscape incorporates defensible space principles and uses fire-resistant designs and materials, in conjunction with a careful selection of plants, proper spacing, and maintenance to reduce fire risks and enhance safety.