Fire danger is high. Our hot, windy, dry weather creates optimal conditions for wildfire to spread. You cannot fireproof your landscape, but your plantings can reduce the risk of spreading a fire and make it easier to defend your home.
Reduce fuel
Remove dry grasses, dead tree limbs and brown leaves from around your home. Do not use wood mulch next to your home. Keep woodpiles and other easily combustible materials at least 30 feet from your house.
If you have scrub oak, thin it, remove diseased trees and keep limbs at least 6 feet above any other vegetation.
Prune any branches that touch any part of your home.
If you are adding or replacing a deck or other attached structure, consider a less flammable material than wood.
Ember attacks, fire ladders
An "ember attack" can quickly spread a fire from a forest to neighborhoods. Burning twigs, pinecones and leaves can travel up to a mile in high winds and ignite a fire if they land on combustible material.
"Fire ladders" let a ground fire climb to taller vegetation. A small grass fire amid unmaintained pine trees, for example, will quickly become a conflagration when dead tree limbs touch the dried grasses. At least 6 feet of space should separate grasses and shrubs from tree limbs.
In our urban-wildland interface, we must manage our urban "forest" to reduce the risk of houses catching fire.
Consider fire-wise plants
While all plants will burn, some are more easily ignited. Consider plants' water and resin content and their growth habits.
For a comprehensive look at fire-resistant plant selection, see Colorado State Extension fact sheet Fire Wise Plant Materials - 6.305 (extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/natural-resources/firewise-plant-materials-6-305/).
Use rock, gravel and stepping stones to interrupt the path of fire. These non-combustible enhancements also add interest and texture to your garden.
Plants near your house should be widely spaced, in clusters rather than dense plantings. While most herbaceous plants will not substantially contribute to fire risk, good spacing reduces risk.
For more information on fire mitigation, visit the Colorado Springs Fire Department website at https://coloradosprings.gov/fire-department/page/wildfire-mitigation or call 719-385-7342.
You can have a beautiful garden and be fire safe, too.
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When you have questions, email ask.extension.org or call 520-7684 from 9 a.m. to noon Monday-Thursday. For garden tips, visit facebook.com/ColoradoMasterGardeners.EPC
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