A fire-smart landscaping tip from UC Marin Master Gardeners
- Mulch is material spread over the surface of the soil to help reduce water evaporation, add organic material to soil, suppress weeds, reduce erosion and compaction, and help maintain a more even soil temperature and health.
- 0 feet to 5 feet from your house use non-combustible mulch such as stone, rock, pavers, decomposed granite, or gravel.
- 5 feet to 30 feet from your home, composted wood chips are considered the best choice for residential landscapes. Limit mulch depth to two inches. Separate wood chip areas with non-combustible hardscaping materials to slow the spread of fire.
- 30 feet and beyond from your home use larger, composted, or non-composted wood chips or bark nuggets up to a depth of 3 inches.
- Hazardous mulches to avoid include shredded western red cedar (gorilla hair) or pine needles. Do not use any fine, stringy mulches. They will burn faster than larger chunks.
Visit Marin Master Gardeners for More fire-smart landscaping tips. https://ucanr.edu/ucmarinmgfiresmart
