Fire Smart: Here's what you can do.
IT’S OFFICIALLY SUMMER!! 😎! It’s always strange to me that here in the Bay Area it feels like it’s been summer for months now, but it’s now just official.
Last week you received my email, Wildfire Prevention 101. Incase you missed it, here is the interactive guide on how to create a wildfire prepared home.
When it comes to preparing for the worst case scenario, it’s not all doom and gloom. Making your home beautiful with the fire smart plants can be an important step. I have organized a list of “Fire Smart” plants and other tips for you to consider for your landscape. We can make our yards beautiful and increase our fire safety.
What are fire smart plants? These are plants that don’t ignite as easily when exposed to embers or fire. All plants will burn under the right conditions, but some are more resilient than others. To make choices easy, choose plants native to your area, pollinator friendly, and drought-tolerant. Here’s a short list of fire smart plants for the Bay Area…
Fire Safe Plants
Lilly of the Nile - These are very common around the Bay Area and very easy to maintain!
Coral Belles - Just plain pretty! Both the leaves and flower.
Roses - My favorite!!! I have 9 varieties in my yard!
Succulents and Cacti - I’ve just been growing these a few years now, but I LOVE how easy they are and all the different shapes and colors they produce.
Catalina Cherry - Need a new shade tree?
Rock Roses - Another very easy plant to grow and is often used as a ground cover. They come in a variety of colors.
Care of Plants - Care of these plants has a lot to do with their flammability as well. Allowing for build up of dry and dead material at the base of plants, will make any plant more flammable. When this material ignites, it sets the stage for the whole plant to burn. Keep the dead material cleaned up! I run into a lot of this with all of my roses. The dead leaves get trapped by the lower limb thorns and they can pile up quickly.
Plant placement - Placement is likely to be the most important decision you make in your fire safe plan. Plants can be strategically placed around your yard to limit the spread of fire. Keeping plants and any ignitable material at least 6ft away from your home is ideal. See the links below for more planting guidance.
To get the full scoop on Fire Smart Landscaping, please visit here.
To get notified of fires in your area in real time, consider downloading the Ready for Wildfire app wherever you download your apps!
Here are a few more resources for you.
https://www.summerwindsnursery.com/ca/inspire/blog/fire-resistant-plants/
Here is helpful information from my local Fire Department, and useful no matter where you live!
https://www.firedepartment.org/home/showpublisheddocument/1672/636917769753200000
Wishing you a safe and fire-free summer!!