Are You Firewise?
(As previously published in The Delmarva Farmer)
By: Nevin Dawson
Tree Tips
9/26/08
As the summer wears on and many days continue to be hot and dry, wildfire is a distinct
possibility. Although the Delmarva region is lucky to suffer from fewer catastrophic blazes than
many other parts of the country, no place is immune to a careless toss of a cigarette butt, an
unattended camp fire, or a lightning strike. Homes located in woodland benefit from the beauty
of a natural setting, but are especially at risk. Fire prevention and preparedness are not just the
responsibility of fire suppression agencies, but also of the homeowner.
Fire requires three things to survive: fuel, oxygen, and heat. As a homeowner you don’t have
much control over heat and oxygen, but you do have a say in the amount of fuel that is available
around your house. Your goal should be to create a safe 30-foot buffer of fire resistant materials
to “break the chain” of fuel between your home and the outside world. Although the best buffer
would be a strip of bare earth, the careful choice of plants and materials with a high level of fire
resistance can give you landscaping that is both safe and attractive.
No plant is fireproof, but certain characteristics decrease the hazard level. When choosing plants
for your 30-foot buffer, try to favor plants with high moisture content in the leaves, low oil or
resin content, minimal production of litter and dead material, drought resistance, and an open,
loose branching habit. As always, make sure that the plants you have in mind are well-matched
to your climate, soil type, and sun availability. This will both ensure that they are vigorous and
help to minimize dead material. Any trees should be at least 10 to 15 feet apart.
Hardwoods (trees that drop their leaves in the fall) are preferable to conifers because of their
lower resin content, but if you do have conifers like pine, spruce, or cedar, make sure to remove
“ladder fuels” like vines and dead branches that could allow a fire to climb from the ground into
the crown of the trees.
Because fire travels very quickly uphill, you should extend your 30-foot buffer to 100 feet on
any steep downhill slope.
Also consider using nonflammable mulches like crushed stone, brick chips, and oyster shells, or
fire-resistant mulches like bluegrass sod and cocoa shells. Avoid highly flammable materials like
oat straw, pine straw, and decorative rubber.
While all these tips are important in the 30-foot buffer, they are essential in first five feet from
your house. This is the area in which you can prevent flames from actually touching and igniting
the house. In addition to close attention to the landscaping, also be sure to keep gutters and the
roof clean, and to remove debris from under the deck or porch.
Fire resistance is not the only consideration in wildfire preparedness. It is also important to think
about the way that fire fighters will access your property and defend your home from fire. Make
sure that your address is clearly visible from the road, even at night. It’s best to have a driveway
at least 12 feet wide and with 15 feet of vertical clearance, as well as adequate room for large
trucks to turn around.
Talk with your family and come up with a disaster plan that outlines who will do what in case of
an emergency and evacuation.
If the worst does happen and a wildfire approaches your property, take the following actions in
this order: call emergency services; close all entrances and windows as well as any drapes or
window coverings; prepare tools, gloves, fire extinguishers, and containers of water; dress in
long sleeves and pants made of natural fibers; find a handkerchief to protect your face from
smoke; wet down the roof of the house; back your vehicles into the garage and close the door, or
just make sure that they are heading in the direction you’ll need to go in the case of an
evacuation; and turn off any sources of natural gas or butane as close to the source as possible.
Wildfire is a very powerful force and has the potential to cause massive destruction, but you can
prepare and defend your home against its offence by following the tips outlined above. You can
find more information, including a list of native fire-resistant plants, by searching the internet for
“Maryland Firewise,” or contact the national Firewise Communities program at
www.firewise.org or 617-984-7486.