Creating space between plants in the yard, both vertically and horizontally, slows or stops the spread of fire. Horizontal spacing can be achieved by planting in clusters called plant islands or beds. Hardscape materials like stone, gravel, and boulders helps create this space and can be used as attractive pathways throughout the garden. Vertical space is created by limbing up trees and reducing the height of plants near or under the trees. This eliminates a feature called ladder fuels which can spread fire from grass to brush to the trees themselves. Remember that on hillsides more space is needed between trees and shrubs to reduce fire spread.
Space around plants creates a fuel break to slow the spread of fire to a house. Design your yard with these principle in mind:
- Use mulch or low-growing ground cover beneath trees to prevent fire from traveling from ground to the canopy.
- Group plants in “islands” separated by hardscaping to interrupt the pathway of fire.
- Use a variety of hardscape and mulch textures to add interest to your firescaping.
- Functional features, like walkways, paths, and planting boxes can be strategically used as fire breaks in aesthetically pleasing ways. (This principle addresses the two photos below).
- Replace large lawns with sections of grasses, flowers, pathways and beds to minimize the need for continuous watering.