Fine Gardening ’s Christine Alexander verbalize with Douglas Kent this retiring bound to take about landscaping tactics that can help protect a home from wildfire and about ways to speed a fire - damaged property on its way to recuperation . Doug is an adjunct professor at Cal Poly Pomona , where he learn bionomic state direction , ecological regaining , regenerative life - support organisation , and landscape building . He is also the author of the bookFirescaping .
Christine Alexander: What is firescaping?
Douglas Kent : Firescaping is landscaping with two elemental goals : ( 1 ) stop a ardour close to a structure and ( 2 ) slow up it further out .
The landscape painting immediately around a sign of the zodiac is designed to be fire retardant . It can withstand acute heat and inciter rain down on it for days , if not week — all without produce a flame .
Fifty feet or so from a structure , depending on the level of incline , the goals of a landscape painting variety : erosion ascendancy , biologic diversity , and stormwater direction play peachy roles . This zone is design and maintain to dramatically slow up a attack . This is the area where a fire fizzles out .
CA: How can firescaping help to protect your home?
DK : Wildfires are completely natural in dotty areas , and the sure mode to protect a home base is to clear a landscape of extra fuels . After the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego County , where 2,820 homes were destroyed , theLos Angeles Timesreported that 90 % of the survive homes had just 30 feet of headway / defendable space .
CA: What plants are good to have around your home if you live in a wildfire-prone area?
DK : Plants within the first 30 animal foot of a social organization are the most fire retarding ; they might sizzle and droop during a fire but will never raise a fire . ardour - retardant plants can grab and help extinguish firebrands . Maintenance is essential in the first 30 feet , and these flora require water , resources , and time .
Further out from a complex body part , ardour - retard plants give way to fire - resistant plants . This group expect much less water and care , yet can still maintain a mellow academic degree of fire resistance . Many of these plant also speedily resprout after accidental injury , helping to reduce the prospect of surface soil loss after a ardour .
Please come to here for plant lists .
CA: If your land has been hit by a fire, what are some things you can do—for example, add soil amendments or plants—to help the landscape recover more quickly?
DK : I have written oftentimes on postfire retrieval in both northerly and Southern California . Below is the essence .
eroding leaps as in high spirits as 200 % follow fires in urbanised country . With this increment comes aggregated sedimentation and alteration of flow layer , as well as harm to dimension and infrastructure . In some cases , this leads even to injury and death .
Fires eliminate canopies , sunburn off leaf litter , and expose the soil . When there is nothing to slow or lay off them , wind and weewee amplification leverage . Soil gets shoved around as a result .
But the problem is not just the want of protective book binding . Recently cut landscape also have to contend with repellency . Fires manipulate the wax that are natural to our grease . When these waxes nerveless , they coat the first column inch of soil with a repellency layer , stopping water from infiltrate .
The consequences can be dire when the lack of protective cover and repellency are combined . Fire - scarred community of interests can produce unbelievable sum of overflow and debris flow .
This overflow and debris can deluge stormwater drain organization , leading to extensive erosion elsewhere . Worse still , debris course downslopes can infest plate , commercial enterprise , and small residential district . These types of events can , and do , lead to personal hurt and end .
Immediate First Aid for Wildfire Hit Gardens
A well - plan and flying response to the threat of corroding is want . Below are the first six thing that must be done after a wildfire .
1 . Drain water . drain system will be clogged with debris after a fire . Water skipping out of drains , such as culverts , is a leading cause of erosion , fire or not . Roof trough , street gutters , culverts , swale , infiltration and detention basins , small streams , and concrete waterway will need cleaning . This is the very first thing to do .
2 . disport sheeting water . The chances of surface soil loss dramatically rise if a landscape receive sheeting piddle from nearby features . Driveways , roadways , sidewalk , and parking lots are often design to sheet their overflow to the landscape . If this is the pillowcase on your property , disport that overflow off from your landscape and toward the storm - drain system .
Sand bags , recreation ditch , staked boards , dry - stacked walls , and bales are the most common digression gadget .
3 . Minimize dealings . Keep fundament and equipment traffic off bite landscapes . Activity on slope will increase the likeliness of eroding by weakening a soil ’s bonds , bump filth particle , and trampling fresh sprouted plant life . Activity on flat land can wad the soil and depress its water - engrossment charge per unit , which increases overflow .
Instead , plan on working on an injured landscape painting only after a plan of restitution has been developed and all the materials and shaft are ready for usance .
4 . Watering . A recently burn landscape absolutely need water , but there are two distinct character : The first watering is aimed at relegate the territory ’s repellency layer . This watering is superlight — no more than 1 gallon per 10 straight feet . The goal is to water only the top quarter - column inch of land .
Once the repellency level is get out , deeper lacrimation should begin . The goal is to get the body of water 4 inches deep and promote seeded player , roots , and surviving plants to stock . Three to 5 gallons of water per 10 square feet is need . Water again only when the first 2 inches have dried .
5 . Leave the good deal . Do not clean house your landscape — the debris on your wound site provides much - need protection . The charred remains of plants and garden feature protect the landscape from farting and water erosion , ho-hum sheet H2O , and help prevent the surviving seeds and plants from drying out . Do not off debris until a restoration plan has been developed .
6 . Encourage locoweed . Any flora that sprout after a flaming should be encouraged . These plants are reducing the probability of surface soil personnel casualty . Weeds , or any unwanted works , should not be removed until a renovation plan has been developed .
CA: How do you limit undesirable opportunist plants from taking over after a fire?
DK : An aggressive approach is need after a fervor , and after the menace of surface soil loss has passed , to combat the proliferation of undesirable industrial plant . The most crucial thing to do is mow the plants before they set semen . Here are two farsighted - term scheme :
1 . utilise aggressive plants . The most effective long - condition scheme is to plant industrial plant capable of outcompeting the smoke . Oftentimes these plants are native to the realm , but not always .
2 . Mulch . A thick layer of organic matter can dramatically bring down the amount of weeds in the forgetful - terminal figure , but continual mulching over sentence can shift a land ’s interpersonal chemistry and prefer unwanted plants . Mulch strongly to repress weeds ab initio , but then taper off as the more long-wearing aggressive plants take detention .
CA: Do you have a personal history with wildfire? Do you have any stories of how firescaping helped people avert damage to a home, or can you refer me to anyone who would be willing to speak with me about their personal experience?
DK : I have been on the front line of three wildfires . And yes , I have visited many communities throughout California after a fire . I have seen the effect of firescaping and the outcome of poor upkeep and planning . I have interview survivor of many fire and truly trust that proper home and landscape upkeep can significantly increase ( but not guarantee ) the chances of survival of the fittest during a inferno .
Ways to help
Consider donate to embossment efforts by going to California Community Foundation ( a five - star organization on Charity Navigator ) and donate to itsWildfire Relief Fund .
Here are other organizations to consider .
To see more about firescaping
Doug Kent ’s book , Firescaping , is uncommitted from Amazon .
Read Doug ’s clause in theLATimes
More information on firescaping fromFineGardening .
Fine Gardening Recommended product
Johnny ’s Selected Seeds Connecta ® Cultivation Kit
Fine Gardening receives a mission for detail purchase through links on this site , include Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs .
Fiskars 15 " PowerGear Loppers — Sharp Steel Blade Bush and Tree Trimmer
Get our previous tips , how - to articles , and instructional video sent to your inbox .
Signing you up …
Related Articles
Choosing Fire-Resistant Plants in Southern California
Firewise Gardening in Southern California
Firescaping in Northern California
Rebuilding a Garden After a Fire
Join Fine Gardening for a free engaging live webinar feature Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned plant pathologist as well as prof emerita at Purdue University and the ornamental expert manager …
When I spot a particular gumption dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I knew I was in trouble . With a delicious color pattern …
When we only prioritize plants we want over plants our landscape need , each season is filled with a never - ending list of chore : pruning , purloin , watering , treating , rectify , and fertilizing , with …
Subscribe today and save up to 47%
Video
Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat
You must be deliberate when you enter the backyard of garden fashion designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to trip on something , but because you might be dive - bombed by a yoke …
4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder’s Garden
Episode 181: Plants You Can’t Kill
Episode 180: Plants with Big, Bold Foliage
4 Steps to Remove Invasive Plants in Your Yard
All Access members get more
Sign up for afree trialand get admission to ALL our regional capacity , plus the rest of the penis - only content library .
commence Free Trial
Get complete internet site approach to expert advice , regional content , and more , plus the print magazine .
Start your FREE trial
Already a member?sign in
