UNIVERSITYOF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION run0rilfficv$,flmnastsT,{NT PIJTNI$ Ray Moritz, Fire Ecologistanil TcchnicalAdvisor to FireSafe Madn; and. Pavel Svihra, Horticulture Aduisor,Main and SonomaCounties
"White house" and its garden (trace with a dashed line) is a spectacular demonstration of defensible space.Wildfire with cata- clysmic energy swiftly burned adjacent houses and vegetation, yet it died down after reaching the frontier of fire resistant garden.
. PYROPHYTES They may have loose or papery bark.
Plantsthat ignite readily and burn intensely(pyro- . These plants flame (not smolder) when phates)typically sharecertain characteristics: preheated and ignited with a match. . They are usually blade-leaf or needle-leaf evergreens. FLAMMABILITY & CONDITION
o They have stiff, woody, small or finer lacey The condition of the plant is as importantas its spe- leav"es. cies.Even some"pyrophytic" speciescan be quite fire-resistantif properly maintained. . Their leaves and wood usuallv contain volatile waxes, fats, terpenes or oils (drushed leaves have strong od6rs). Depending on its growth form and accessto water, the samespecies may be fire resistantin one envi- ronment and pyrophytic in another.Water-stressed o Their sap $ usually gummy' resinous and has a strong odor. plants that are in poor condition are more pyrophytic.
. They usually contain plentiful fine, twiggy, A pyrophytic speciesbecomes explosively flamma- drv or dead materials. ble when poorly maintained. South-facing slopes, windy areas,sites with poor soils and urban land- . They may have pubescent (hair covered) leaves. scapesare more stressfulfor plants.
(cmcer-related), mce Po1icymayboaddressedtotheAfimativeAc!ionDirector,Unive.sityofcali1bmia,AgriculoreadNafralResources,llll Fire ResistantPlants
PYROPTTYTICVBGETATION TYPES :
Grasses: Any cured (dry) grass.Nonirrigated, bracken and sword ferns. annual grassesare typically more flammablethan perennialgrasses. Brush: Any brushwith excessivedeadwood. Any Irrigated grassesare fire resistant. over-mature,dying or deadbrush. Herbs: Any curedherb. Trees: Any forest, stand or urban forest that is Ferns: Any dry or cured fern, particularly cured over-dense.under stressor over mature.
,,PIT,9,,$|{ETICSPE$, $r,,Hi. ig[.,F'ire,,Ilgggfl ,Nativ.e,Shruhs,, Latin name CommonName Latin name CommonName
Adeno stoma fasc ic ulat um Chamise.Greasewood Erigonumfasciculatum California Buckwheat Arctostaphylos spp. Manzanitas(some twiggy)b Pickeringia montena Chaparral Pea
Artemisiacalifurnica Sagebrush(California) Quercusspp. ScrubOak (brushyoaks)b Baccharis spp. CovoteBrush"b Salvia mellifera BlackSage
Castanopsis chrysophylla Chinquapin,Giant Vaccinium Huckleberryb
Cupressussargentii SargentCypress Pinus radiata Monterey Pineb
Lit ho carp us dens iflo ra Tan Oak. Tanbark Oak Pinus muricata Bishop Pineb Pinus coulteri Coulter Pine Pseudotsugamenziesii Douglas Firb
Pinus attenuata KnobconePine Umb e llularia califu rni c a California Bayb ili$I'tre:H,'fln notupg$Eeologid,Wtii
Acacia spp. Acacia speciesb Eucalyptusspp. Eucalyptusb b Cortaderia jubata JubataGrass Pennisetum FountainGrass C. Selloana PampasGrassb Spartium junceum SpanishBroom b Cytisusscoparius ScotchBroomb Ulex europea (]orse
Cytis us monspes s ulanus FrenchBroomb Fir€ llazar,dousIntroduced:: :(ExotiC),,F!angr Abies spp. Firs Picea spp. Spruces b Bambusaspp. Bamboo Pinus spp. Pines
Cedrus spp. Cedars RosmarinusfficinaLis Rosemary
Chamaecyparis spp. FalseCypress Spartium junceum SpanishBroom Juniperus spp. Junipers Taxus spp. Yew l-arix spp. Larch Thuja spp. Arborvitae
Lonicera japonica JapaneseHoneysuckle Tsu6aspp. Hemlock
Palms Palm (if dry fronds) Ulex europea Gorse
Pennisetumspp. FountainGrass b " Good for erosion control; InrrasirreSpecies Fire Resistant Plants
FIRFSCAPE PLANT SELECTIONS Fire-resistant Plants (Theseplants also tend to have certain typical characteristics- much of the in- formation about fire resistantplants is anecdotaland has not been scientifically tested) r Most are broad-leafdeciduous (lose their o Shrubsare low-growing- (2') with minimal leaves)trees but somethick-leaf evergreens deadmaterial. are alsofire-resistant.
r Leavestend to be supple,moist and easily o Tall shrubs are clean,not bushy. crushed.
o Treestend to be clean,not bushy,and have . S.apis water-like and typically doesnot have a little deadwood. strongodor.
DOMESTIC GARDEN
..:::::llll...... l.::lj::.'.:.....:..::...:::::l...... l:::::::..l..:.::.l..:.:.:srrNents.(m*e...amohg.'the;m0,stfrG'r Latin name Common name Latin name Common name Aeonium spp. Aeonium D. pulverulenta Dudleya Agave spp. Agave lnmpranthus spp. Bush Ice Plant Aloe spp. Aloe Echeveria spp. Hen and Chicks b Carpobrotus spp. Ice Plantb Malephora crocea CroceumIce Plant b Cotyledon spp. Malephora luteola Yellow Trailing Ice Plant b Crassula spp. Crassula Po rtulacaria afra " Var iegata " Elephant'sFoot Delosperma "AIba" White Trailing Iceplant Sedumconfusum Stonecrop b D ros ant hemum flo ribunda RoseaIce Plant Sedumrubrotinctum Brown Bean (Pork and Beans) b D. hispidium RoseaIce Plant Senecioserpens Dudleyafarinosa Dudlevaor Cliff Lettuc-e Grsundcov.er*:, Achillea tomentosa Woolly Yarrow Liriope gigantect Giant Turf Lily Ajuga reptans CarpetBugle Myoporum parvifolium Myoporum
Armeria maritima CommonThrift Os t eo sp e rmum frut ico s um Trailing African Daisy Arctotheca calendula Silver Spreader Pelargonium peltatum Ivy Geranium Cerastium tomentosum Snow-in-Summer Phyla nodiJlora Lippia Repens Coprosma kirkii CreepingCoprosma Po te ntil la tab e rnae mo ntani i Spring Cinquefoil Duchesneaindica Mock Strawberry Pyracantha " Santa Cruz" Firethorn EounymusFortunei col- Winter Creeper Santo lina c hamaecypar n s us LavenderCotton oratus b Festuca rubra CreepingRed Fescue Santolina virens GreenLavender Cotton Fragaria califurnica Wood Strawberry Thymuspraecox arcticus Creeping Thyme Fragaria chiloensis Beach Strawberrv Trifuliumfragiferum O'Connor's Legume Gazania rigens leuco- Trailing Gazania Verbenaperuviana PerennialVerbena laena Iberis sempervirens EvergreenCandytuft Vinca spp. Periwinkle" b " Good for erosioncontrol; InvasiveSpecies Fire ResistantPlants
DOMFSTIC GARDEN (Continued)
P,e :, Latin name Common name Latin name Common name Achillea spp. Yarrow Iris spp. Iris Agapanthusspp, Lily-of-the-Nile Kniphofia uvaria Poker(rorch lf;$)H* Bergenia spp. Bergenia Lantana montevidensis Lantana Centaurea cineraria DustyMiller Invandula spp. Lavender Centranthusruber Red Valerian (Jupiter's Limoniumperzil SeaLavender
Coreopsisspp Coreopsis Mimulus spp. Monkey Flower
Dietesbicolor AfricanIris Oenothera berlandieri Mexican Evenins Primrose Dietes vegeta ForrnightLily Penstemonspp. BeardTongue Eri geron karv inskianus Fleabane(Mexican Daisy) Sisyrinchium spp. Blue-EyedGrasses" Erysimumlinifulium Wallflower Stachys byzantina Lamb's Ears Geranium spp. Geranium Strelitzia reginae Bird of Paradise Hemerocallis hybrids Daylily Tulbaghia violacea SocietvGarlic Hesperaloeparviflora Red Yucca Zant edesc hia aet hiopica Common Calla" Heuchera maxima IslandAlum Root Zaus c hne ria califo rnica California Fuchsia
Vines: Rosa Banksiae Lady Banks' Rose Trachelospermum StarJasmine JASmtnotaes Solanum iasminoides PotatoVine Wisteria spp. Wisteria Tecomaria capensis CapeHoneysuckle Shrubs; Brugmansia spp. Angel'sTrumpet Mahonia repens CreepingMahonia Buddlein spp. Butterfly Bush Nerium oleander Oleander Carpe nte ria caliJbrnica BushAnemone Nolina spp. Nolina (relatedto Yucca) CoLeonemacaka Brushof Heaven Pittospoum crassifoLium Dwarf Karo " Diosma" Convolvuscneorum BushMorning Glory Pittosporum tobira Mock Orange cotoneaster congestus Likiano" Prunuslyonii Catalina Cherry Coto neas te r hor izontalis Rock Cotoneastero' Punica granatum Pomegranate Cotoneaster mic rophyllus RocksprayCotoneaster" Rhapiolepis spp. India Hawthorn Cotoneaster dammeri Bearberry Cotoneaster"" Rhamnus alaternus Italian Buckthorn Echium spp. Echium or Priderot Rhododendron(Azalea) Rhododendronsand spp. Azaleas Escallonia spp. Escallonia Rhus integrifolia LemonadeBerry Lav at era ass u r g ent ifl o ra Malva Rose(Tree Mallow) Simmondsia chinensis Jojoba
Ligustrum japonicum Japanease Privet Trac helosltermum Star Jasmine JASmrnotaes Ligustrumlucidum Glossy Privet Yuccaspp. Yucca Ligustrum texanum TexasPrivet 'Good b for erosioncontrol: InvasiveSpecies Fire Resistant Plants
DOMFSTIC GARDEN(Continued)
Tleesl Latin name Common name Latin name Common name Acer spp. Maple Macadamia hybrids Macadamia Nut Arbutus unedo Strawberry Tree Metrosideros excelsus New Zealand Christmas Tree Ceratonia siliqua Carob Myoporum spp. Myporum Cercis occidentalis Western Redbud Pistacia chinensis ChinesePistache Cercocarpus betuloides Mountain Ironwood Pittosporum spp. Mock Orange
Citrus spp. Citrus Quercusspp. Oak" Fagus spp. Beech Rhuslancea African Sumac Feijoa sellowiana PineappleGuava Robinia pseudoacacia Locust.Black Fraxinus spp. Ash SchinusmolLe California PepperTree" Gleditsia triacanthos Honey Locust Sc hinus tere binthifolius Brazilian Pepper" Moderate,:Fire R,et4idl4g, P,lants: Ajuga crispa Giant Ajuga Hypericumcalycinum St. Johnswortb Aloe aristata Dwarf Aloe Phyla nodiflora Lippia Aloe breviolia ShortleafAloe Myoporum parvifolium Myoporum
Atriplex semibaccata AustralianSaltbush Os t eos p ermum frut ico s um African Daisv Cerastium tomentosum Snow-in-Summer Teucrium chamaedrys ProstrateGermander Coprosma kirkii CreepingCoprosma Tr ifo I ium fra p iferu m var (Strawberry O'Connoi's " " L;SIS; Gazania rigens leucolaena Trailins Gazania Low,FUelVolume Native,Plants:
Arcto staphylos hookeri MontereyCarpet ' Ceanothusmaritimus Maritime Ceanothus (Manzanita)'
Arctostaphy los uva-urs i Bearberry" Cistus crispus Rockrose Ceanothusgloriosis Point RevesCeanothusu Cistussalvifulius SageleafRockrose thu s gr i s e u s' Ancho r Digitalis spp. Foxglove $eoalro
Ce,anot hu s g rise us horizon- Carmel Creeper" G r inde lia stricta v enulosa CoastalWild Gum taus Ceanothusgriseus' Emily Salvia sonomensis CreepingSageu Brown'
Ceanothus p.riseus' Ray Symphoricarposmollis CreepingSnowberry Hartman' Lo* Fuel VolumeNativePerennials: Achillea millefolium Yarrow Dicentraformosa WesternBleeding Heart Aquilegia formosa Western Columbine Epipactis gigantea Stream Orchid Asarum caudatum Wild Ginger Erigeron glaucus Beach Aster Aster chilensis Wild Aster Eriogonum spp. Wild Buckwheat Brodiaea laxa GrassNut Eriophyllum confertifu rum Golden Yarrow b " Good for erosioncontrol; InvasiveSpecies Fire ResistantPlants
DOMFSTIC GARDEN(Continued)
Inw.,Fuel'V-olumb.iNative'Pire,(Contr): Latin name Commonname Latin name Commonname
E r iophy llum stachaedifo- Lizaddtail Monardella villosa CovoteMint li um' vd r. a r t em i saefo li um
Erysimum capitatum Foothill Wallflower Penstemon spp. Beard Tongue
Ervsimum concinnum Fragrant Wallflower Polvstichum munitum Sword Fern
Eschscholziaspp. California Poppy Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Fernb
Grindelia stricta CoastalWildGum Ranunc ulus cal ifo rnic a Buttercup
Heucheramicrantha CoralBells Romneyacoulteri MatilijaPoppy
Iris douglasiana DouglasIris Satureja douglasii Yerba Buena
Iris longipetala Long-petaledIris Sidalcea malvaeJlora Checkerbloom
Iris macrosiphon GroundIris Sisyrinchium bellum Blue-eyedGrass"
Lonicera hispidula Pink Honeysuckle Sisyrinc hium californicum Yellow-evedGrass
Lupinus spp. Lupine" Solanumxanti Purple Nightshade
Mimulusspp. Monkev Flower Zigadenusfremontii StarLily NArrtrErynnfAm Pr tS - Vatuedxativi rahte*nee speqiq ii: : :; : r,: :;,,,,
Acer macrophyllum Big Leaf Maple Fraxinus oregona OregonAsh
Aesculuscalifornica Buckeye Juglans hindsii California Black Walnut
Alnus rhombifolia White Alder" Platanus racemosa Western Sycamore
A. rubra Red Alder Populusfremontii Fremont'sPoplar
Cercocarpus betuloides Mtn. Mahogany Quercusspp. Oaks"
Cornusnuttalli Pacific Dogwood Salix spp. Willow
Coryluscornuta Hazel Sequoiasempervirens CoastRedwood Shnrltsr
Ceanothus(some) spp. (Some)Wild Lilac" Penstemon corymbosus Thvmeleaf Penstemon, Reilwood Penstemon
Dendromecon rigida BushPoppy Penstemonbreviflorus Bush Beardstongue, Gaping Penstemon
Eriodicryon californicum Yerba Santa Solanumumbellifurum Nightshade,Blue Witch
Galtheria spp. Salal Rhamnusspp. Buckthorn Garrya spp. Silk Tassela Rhus spp. Sumac
H et ero me I e s ar b utifo lia Toyon,Christmas Berry" Ribessanguineum RedFlowered Currant
Mimulus aurantiacus Sticky Monkey Flower u b Good for erosioncontrol; InvasiveSpecies Fire Resistant Plants
FIRE. RFSISTANT PRTVACYSCREEN PLANTS:
WARNING:Planted densely and with close spacing, Densely planted hedgesand screenscompete for hedges,screens and espaliers,by function and de- the limited water and nutrients on the site and are sign, tend to be fire hazardousplantings. They pro- usually in poor health. Resulting dieback makes duce excessive"twiggyness" and fine deadwoodin theseplantings more flammable. the planting interior. Additionally, when a wildfire nearstall hedgesand screens,these create a wind- Shearedhedges and screenshave more fine, tinder break turbulence on the lee side of the row. Fire- dry deadwoodunder the densegreen, outer crown. brands are sucked down onto the enclosedproperty or lee side structure.Regular shearingto create a tight outer crown makes hedgesand screensmore More often than not espaliersare planted with pyro- flammable becausetheir internal branchesand twigs phytic speciesthat can easily ignite structures. die due to the lack of light. REMEMBER:All plants are flammable to some extent! More Plants With Below are some "relatively more fire-resistant" spe- Poor Care = More Fuel! cies,if properly maintained:
!| .i i . ' 'I II i: : :. . r | ::::: : ; I l r'' ult i:::::::::11..::::::l Latin name Commonname Latin name Common name
Acer ginnala Amur Maple Ligustrum spp. Privet
Arbutus unedo Strawberry Tree Lonicera spp. HonevsuckleBush
Berberis spp. Barberry Malus spp. Apple Buxus spp. Boxwood Myrica californica Pacific Wax Mvrtle
Camellia spp. Camellia Photinia xfraseri Photinia
Carissa grandiflora Natal plum P it t os p o rum c rass ifo li um Karo
Ceratonia siliqua Carob P. eugenoides Lemonwood
Citrus spp. Citrus P. tobira Mock OrangePittosporum Cocculuslaurifulius P. undulatum Victorian Box
Cornus stolonifera Red-osierDogwood Plumbago auriculata Cape Plumbago
C. mas CornelianCheny, Sorbet Podocarpusgracilior Fern Pine
Crateagusphaenopyrum Washington Thorn P. macrophyllus Yew Tree
Dodonaea viscosa Hopbush Prunus caroliniana Cherrv Laurel
Elaeagnus angust ifo lia RussianOlive P. ilicifolia Hollyleaf Cherry
E. pungens Silverberry P. laurocerasus Enelish Laurel Eriobotrya japonica Loquat Pyrus kawakamii Evergreen Pear Escallonia rubra Escallonia Rhamnusspp. Buckthorn Eugenia spp. Eugenia Rhododendronspp. RhododendronI Azalea Euonymusspp. Euonymus Vaccinium spp. Blueberry Hibis cus rosa-sinensis Tropical Hibiscus Viburnum tinus Viburnum H. syriacus Roseof Sharon Xylosma congestum Xylosma nmnw$mruuArin$mIIBW TRBES: When thinning woodlands,first removesick, dying and deadtrees. Second, remove or clean up treeswith excessivedeadwood. Third, removehighly flammablespecies (needle leaf andblade leaf treeswith volatileoils). Tree crowns shouldbe separatedby at leastten feet.Add five additionalfeet for every ten percentincrease in slope(10 ft. separation on slopes0 to l0o/o,15ft. separationon v slopesfrom I I to 20oh,and 20 ft. separationon slopesfrom 2l to 30oh, and so forth). I Raiseall tree crownsat leastten feet
(up to 25%)to reducetotal fuels. I Removedead branches and largeareas of deadfoliage, all vines,and loose paperybark. I Renroveall flammableundersrowth and woodydebris. SHRUBS: Separateindividual shrubcrowns by two times the height,or€lump shrubsinto islandsof no greaterthan 18 ft. diameterand separatethe islandsby a distanceof no lessthan two times the canopyheight. When thinning brushareas, first removedead, g\ sick or stressedshrubs, then highly flammable ?7 shrubs[i.e. highly twiggy shrubs,shrubs with small woody leaves,shrubs with volatile oils (smellthem!)1. The shrub,covershould not }H exceed30% ofyour defensiblespace landscape. Removedead and:diteased branches. The maximumdead-lo-live ratio is 20o/o. You may limb upshrubs,but no greater thanone third the height.Remove all vines,papery bark, or qther suspended debris.Rpmove or.rery undergrowth :.., to 3 inches,and remov.e all woody debris.