Start Thinking About Fire-Wise Landscaping Now | Total Landscape Care
Around the end of summer and beginning of fall, wildfires start popping up across the country and becoming widespread.
Media outlets begin to show disturbing pictures of forests being burnt to the ground and thousands left homeless.
These fires seem to happen every year, some years obviously worse than others, but wildfires do happen. Now is the time for landscapers to start thinking about fire-wise landscaping.
The spring is a great time to start planning landscapes early and get lawns prepared for potential wildfires later this season.
Don’t wait until the fire is in your client’s backyard to start researching a solution. Wildfires can spread far and fast, which makes saving a landscape or home at the last minute out of the question.
There are steps landscapers can take to help create a barrier around properties.
For areas that are prone to wildfires, follow a checklist to make sure your client’s property is well protected.
Additionally, research plants through state Cooperative Extension Services to find out what plants work best in certain areas.
The U.S. Fire Administration gives a few tips on how to help landscapes stay “fire proof”.
Create a defensible space perimeter by thinning trees and brush within 30 feet around a home.
Space trees 30 feet apart and prune to a height of eight to 10 feet.
Plant the most drought-tolerant vegetation within three feet of a home and adjacent to structures to prevent ignition.
Landscape a property with fire-resistant plants and vegetation to prevent fire from spreading quickly.