After cleaning Zone 0 (0-5 feet from home) of any combustible materials (see August’s Fire- Smart tips), this month we’ll focus on applying the Fire-Smart Landscaping principles of “think lean, clean, and green”, and “start at the house and work out” to Zone 1 (5-30 feet from home). This maintenance is essential, as September and October mark the peak of wildfire season, when summer-dried vegetation and strong, drying Diablo winds converge before the arrival of winter rains.
California native plant flowering in firewise garden, Sonoma County, California; April Owens Design
A Clean Zone 1
The transition to fall brings shorter days and cooler weather, triggering leaves to transform into their beautiful autumn colors. It’s then time to regularly check for and remove leaf litter from
accumulating on roofs, in gutters, within five feet of homes, and from under decks in Zone 0. Be sure to keep leaf litter to a minimum in Zone 1 (leaf litter can be three inches in depth in Zone 2, 30’ beyond your home). Remove any dead vegetation, dead flowers, and dry grasses from the landscape to reduce potential fuel. Prune trees and shrubs to remove dead branches, control size, create space within the canopy, and remove low-hanging branches from trees to create space between lower vegetation and reduce the risk of ladder fuels.
You may wish to attend the UC Marin Master Gardeners, “Advanced Pruning: Structural Training and Canopy Restoration” Zoom class on October 15, 2025, from 10:00 am-12:30 pm. Sign up here.
Regularly inspect plants for drought stress and water appropriately to keep plants healthy. Plants will need less water as we enter cooler weather in the fall months.
And remember, ongoing maintenance of Zone 0 (0-5 feet from home) is critical during fire season.
Go to the Marin Master Gardeners website for more information.
