Fire-Scaping Your Garden

Fire-Scaping Your Garden

THE BUFFER ZONE THE MEDIUM RESISTANCE ZONE THE LOW RESISTANCE ZONE AROUND THE HOUSE IF YOU LIVE IN THE GARDEN ROUTE AREA This area should be the furthest away from the house, This should be the area between the peripheral buffer This is the area closest to the house. Indigenous species that can be planted to create a FIRESCAPING within the essential 10 metre zone. zone and the inner band (low-resistance zone) around fire-proof thicket/foresthedge include: the house. • This area must be kept free of large shrubs. It should • Plant low-growing groundcov- contain low-growing plants and groundcovers, inter- • Shrubs: Aloe arborescens IN THE FYNBOS ers with fleshy leaves that have • It is possible to plant a fynbos spersed with gravel or lawn. (Krantz Aloe), Azima tetracantha a high resistance to fire like garden here, but remember (Needle Bush), Carissa bispi- vygies (Lampranthus, Malepho- to space tall and short shrubs • Groundcovers for sunny areas nosa (Num-Num), Osteosper- Andrew Brown Andrew Colin Paterson-Jones GARDEN IN ZONES ra, Drosanthemum, Delosperma to prevent a large dense thicket include Cliffortia ferruginea, mum moniliferum (Bietou), Colin Paterson-Jones Plant your garden with a fire-resistant buffer zone on and Carpobrotus), Gazania, of continuous fuel developing Otholobium decumbens, Buddleja salviifolia the periphery, a medium resistant ring within that and Arctotis, Cliffortia ferruginea that could support a very hot Dymondia margaretae, Gazania (Sagewood), Cassine an approximately 3m wide zone of low resistant plant- and Aloe brevifolia. These need fire. Protea cynaroides spp., Helichrysum argyrophyl- Colin Paterson-Jones tetragona (Climbing Saffron), ing around the house. to be watered at least once a lum, Hermannia saccifera, Diospyros dichrophylla week to retain their high fire- • To prevent mud slides after a fire and to ensure a Cotula lineariloba, Agathosma (Common Star-apple), Euclea See inside for lists of suggested plant species for each resistant quality. Lampranthus aureus speedy recovery, it is important to plant sprouters ovata (Kluitjies kraal) and racemosa (Sea Guarri), Aloe plicatilis zone within fynbos environments (with an addendum here. These plants have an underground ligno-tuber vygies. For shady areas, grow Gymnosporia buxifolia (Common for suitable species for the mixed vegetation area of the • Suitable bulbs could include or rootstock that re-sprouts if burnt to the ground and Plectranthus verticillatus, Spike-thorn), Grewia occiden- Garden Route, in the Southern Cape). Tulbaghia violacea, could include Leucadendron salignum, Chondropeta- P. neochilus (which can also Carpobrotus acinaciformis talis (Cross-berry), Searsia Agapanthus and Watsonia. If lum tectorum, Erica spp, Maytenus oleoides, Brachyl- grow in the sun), and P. ciliatus (Rhus) crenata (Dune Crowber- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS a hedge is needed, use (Drege). aena discolor, Salvia spp, Pelargonium cucullatum, ry), Searsia (Rhus) lucida Colin Paterson-Jones Contributions from Firewise USA, Living with Wildfire. plants that re-sprout and do not Protea cynaroides, Felicia echinata, Olea europaea (Glossy Currant). SANBI Alice Notten, Portions reproduced from an article by Clare Bell, The have large quantities of dead subsp. africana (Wild olive), Kiggelaria africana (Wild • Small shrubs can be planted (Plant these closely together to Garden Centre, Kirstenbosch. material accumulating in the peach), and Searsia lucida. alone with groundcovers create a thick hedge). plant such as happens with round them. These could include Colin Paterson-Jones Anthony Hitchcock, Dave McDonald, Wendy Madsen and proteas. The hedge (or fence) • Some plants also have corky Agathosma serpyllacea, Phylica • Trees: Ekebergia capensis Sideroxylon inerme Annelize Vlok are thanked for their help. s h o u l d b e 3 0 m f r o m t h e h o u s eAgapanthus . africanus bark that will protect them if a ericoides, Felicia spp., Carissa (Cape Ash), Kiggelaria Africa- fire is mild. These will start bud- macrocarpa, Cotyledon orbicula- na (Wild Peach), Buddleja saligna (False Olive), Photographs reproduced with kind permission of Colin • Good hedge plants include Searsia (Rhus) crenata, ding soon after a fire. They Colin Paterson-Jones ta, Scabiosa spp. and Athanasia Diospyros whyteana (Bladder-nut), Nuxia floribunda Paterson-Jones, Andrew Brown and SANBI. S. glauca and S. lucida, all of which will re-sprout include Leucospermum dentata. (Forest Elder), Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus (Candle- if burnt, as will Tarchonanthus camphoratus and conocarpodendron, Protea Mimetes cucullatus Drosanthemum speciosum wood), Sideroxylon inerme (White Milkwood Tree), ‘Firescaping your Garden’ first produced in association Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus. Osteospermum nitida (Waboom), Mimetes • No climbers or trellises should be attached to the Tarchonanthus camphoratus (Wild Camphor Bush), with the Botanical Society of SA, 2001. moniliferum will burn more slowly because of its cucullatus and Aloe plicatilis. walls of the house in a high-risk fire area as these act Pittosporum viridiflorum (Cheesewood). succulent-like leaves. as ‘ladders’ for the fire. Edited: FireWise SA. • Forest trees have a natural • For the low-resistance zone around the house, resistance to fire and do not suitable indigenous species include: FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: burn easily, including Rapanaea Colin Paterson-Jones • In sunny and dry, well-drain- www.firewise.org melanophloeos (Cape Beach), ed areas plant Portulacaria Watsonia aureus www.workingonfire.org Brabejum stellatifolium, Cunonia afra (Spekboom), Aloe capensis (Rooiels), Ilex mitis, Maurocenia frangularia, arborescens (Krantz Aloe), Pasquini Lorena www.firewisesa.org.za Halleria lucida (Tree Fuchsia) and Canthium Osyris compressa (Cape www.fynbosfire.org.za mundianum. Sumach), Osteospermum moniliferum (Bietou), Roep- FIRESCAPING • Bulbs also will re-sprout quickly after a fire and era (Zygophyllum) spp. prevent mudslides by ensuring that the soil is held (Twinleaf) and other indige- together. These would include Agapanthus, Watsonia, nous plants with thick or YOUR GARDEN Haemanthus coccineus, Cyrtanthus ventricosus and fleshy leaves. Portulacaria afra Kniphofia. • Groundcovers for sunny and sandy areas include • If you intersperse some re-seeding plant species Tetragonia decumbens, Gazania spp. (Botterblom), amongst the mix of fynbos plants, they will ensure Dymondia spp., Falkia repens (oortjies). that the ‘moon landscape’ left after a fire will soon come to life. These include the many different species • Grass species include Cynodon dactylon (Kaapse Brown Andrew of Protea, Erica, Ursinia, Leucadendron, Phylica, Heli- Kweekgras) and Stenotaphrum secundatum chrysum, Metalasia, Roella, Selago, Agathosma as well (Buffalo Grass). Tarchonanthus camphoratus Colin Paterson-Jones Carissa bispinosa Lorena Pasquini as Pelargonium cordifolium and Felicia aethiopica. Kniphofia uvaria - Kniphofia uvaria Firescaping Your Garden DL BrochureFINAL.indd 1-6 9/2/13 9:47 AM THE FIREWISE APPROACH • Communal Survivable Space 4 - REDUCE FUEL IN THE ENTIRE SURVIVABLE SPACE FIRESCAPING YOUR GARDEN If creating an adequate Survivable Space for your Beyond the essential 10 metre zone, uncleared ground FIRESCAPING FireWise Communities is a concept originally home means encroaching into your neighbours’ space, fuels (such as excessive vegetation) can provide an 30 metres of garden Chimney cleaned developed in the U.S.A. (www.firewise.org), currently then it makes sense to work together and create open route for the rapid spread and increased intensity hose attached and screened being adapted and implemented in South Africa a joint Survivable Space. Each owner should take of fire. (www.firewisesa.org.za). The Firewise approach responsibility for their own area, but work according Woodpile, fuel tanks YOUR GARDEN to a jointly agreed hazard reduction plan. This is very Storage shed located emphasizes community responsibility in designing • Remove all dead branches and lower limbs of shrubs and other burnable effective and can be achieved without losing away from home Firescaping specifically refers to landscaping in ways a safe community as well as effective emergency and trees. Thin out vegetation, so that there is not materials 10 metres aesthetics or privacy. that will reduce the probability of fire catching and response, and individual responsibility for safer a continuous fuel bed for the fire to move forwards from structures • A Community Ignition Zone spreading through the firescaped area (e.g. a garden). home construction and design, landscaping and through. maintenance. A Community Ignition Zone usually includes the entire • Group shrubs and trees in small clumps or islands. WUI Zone and may include both private and public In this pamphlet are some points to consider in your Space out the clumps so that the spreads are 1.5 - Grass green and land. The work within the Community Ignition Zone planning. By making changes in the home ignition zone - the area 3 metres apart in flat areas, and crowns are up to mowed including and immediately surrounding the home - home- is planned and implemented to create Survivable 10 metres apart for big trees on a steep slope. owners can substantially reduce the risk of their home Space for the entire community, however firescaping • Prevent fire moving from the ground into the trees Scattered trees within 10 metres of structures 10m and maintaining the Survivable Space around by pruning lower branches and leaving a generous THE BEST OF BOTH

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