'Tis the season for firescaping

The recent wildfires remind us to use techniques in our landscapes that will reduce the wildfire threat before the next fire.

Firescaping is landscape design that reduces house and property vulnerability to wildfires. The goal is to develop a landscape with a design and choice of plants that enhance the aesthetics of the property while creating a defensible, survivable space around the home.

The ideal is to surround the home with plants with a high moisture content, which are less likely to ignite and burn; and hardscape, such as rock, cement, patio pavers, etc. It is imperative when building homes in wildfire-prone areas that fire safety be a major factor in landscape design. Appropriate manipulation of the landscape prior to a wildfire can significantly improve the chances of a home surviving.

Firescaping integrates traditional landscape functions with a design that reduces the threat from wildfire. It does not need to look different than a traditional design. It meets the needs for beauty, entertainment, play areas, storage and erosion control. Firescaping also includes planting for fire safety, modifying vegetation, using fire safety zones, and incorporating defensible-space principles.

Minimize the use of evergreen shrubs and trees within 30 feet to 100 feet of a home. Instead, choose plants with high moisture content that are low-growing, less than 2 feet tall. Avoid plants with resinous or oily stems and leaves. Deciduous trees are generally more fire-resistant than evergreens.

Think about these four concepts when purchasing plants for wildfire threat reduction:

• Shorter is better than taller.

• Deciduous is better than evergreen.

• Herbaceous (soft and green) is better than woody.

• Avoid resinous native plants, such as sage and bitterbrush, in the defensible-space zone.

Fuel breaks are a vital component of firescaping. Use driveways, lawns, walkways, patios, ponds, areas with inorganic mulches, and walls constructed of nonflammable materials to reduce fuel loads and create fuel breaks.

Through proper plant selection, placement and maintenance, you can diminish the possibility of ignition, lower the fire intensity, and reduce how quickly a fire will spread on your property.

Incorporating firescaping techniques may not guarantee home survival, but it will increase the chances of survival, with or without firefighters, and make defending the home less risky for firefighters. There can't be a fire truck in every driveway, so it is up to you to take action to reduce the fire threat to your home and property before the next wildfire occurs.

For more information on reducing the wildfire threat to your home, go to the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension fire Web site, www.livingwithfire.info; contact me at 887-2252 or skellyj@unce.unr.edu; or contact your local University of Nevada Cooperative Extension office. In the Carson City area, I can help you evaluate the safety of your home and identify areas for improvement.

• JoAnne Skelly is the Carson City/Storey County Extension educator for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.