After cleaning Zone 0 (0-5 feet from home) of any combustible materials, 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).
A Clean Zone 1
Remove any dead vegetation and dry grasses from the landscape to reduce potential fuel. Regularly prune trees andshrubs to remove dead branches, and remove dead flowers to reduce flammable material from your landscape.
A Lean and Green Zone 1Regularly 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. Prune trees and shrubs to reduce canopies density and maintain appropriate space between plants to slow down the spread of fire from plant to plant. Remove low-hanging branches from trees to create space between lower vegetation and reduce the risk of ladder fuels.
Take advantage of Chipper Days to get rid of your garden debris.
And remember, ongoing maintenance of Zone 0 (0-5 feet from home) is critical during fire season.
Additional learning resources:
Fire-smart landscape maintenance
For more information on Fire Smart Landscaping from the Marin Master Gardeners, click here.
