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Landscaping:
Nurture the right plants
A properly
landscaped defensible space will make it difficult for fire to
spread to a home. Tactics include using shrub islands or patches of
perennials rather than continuous beds of plantings and thinning
trees so branches do not touch each other.
- Combustible
items like woodpiles, compost piles, gas grills, gas cans, and
propane tanks must be stored at least 30 feet away from the
home. Keep dead vegetation, pine needles, and branches cleared.
- Use mowed
grass, gravel walkways, and mulched plantings near the home.
Although mulch helps retain soil moisture, it must be kept moist
or it can become a fuel source. Do not use thick combustible
mulch near the home's foundation.
- Keep large,
leafy, hardwood trees in the yard, particularly on the east and
west sides of the house. The shade created is important
to cool the home, and the flat leaves trap moisture on the
ground. Large pine trees also provide good shade, but lower
branches must be trimmed and pine needles must be cleared.
- Avoid
planting trees under or near electrical lines (they may grow
into the lines in high winds, causing a fire).
- Work with
your neighbors to clear common areas between houses, and prune
areas of heavy vegetation that are a threat to everyone
- Place plants
carefully to form a buffer around your home: Mow grass short
around shrubs; plant low-growing, non-resinous shrubs near
structures; mow regularly to keep grass around the home under
8 inches tall; plant wildflowers near structures only if they
are well-irrigated and cut back during the dormant season.
– Firewise
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