What factors contribute to the vulnerability of your yard?
- Storing items such as firewood piles, construction materials, patio furniture, tools and decorative pieces against or near a house is a major fire hazard.
- If combustible landscaping mulch ignites, it can produce embers that may ignite combustible materials and increase the chance of direct flame spreading to the home.
- Evergreen trees (with cones and needles) are highly flammable and should not be within 10 meters of your home.
Consider these guidelines when planning updates to your yard and as part of your ongoing property maintenance:
- A 1.5 meter non-combustible surface should extend around the entire home and any attachments, such as decks to reduce the chance of wind-blown embers igniting materials near your home.
- Use non-combustible materials such as gravel, brick, or concrete in this critical 1.5 meters area adjacent to your home. Woody shrubs, trees or tree branches should be avoided in this area; any that are present should be properly mitigated.
- Plant only a few fire-resistant plants and shrubs within 10 meters of your home.
- Do not use bark or pine needles mulches within 10 meters of your home as they are highly combustible. Gravel mulch and decorative crushed rock mulch significantly reduce the risk of wildfire.
- A mowed lawn is a fire resistant lawn. Grasses shorter then 10 centimeters in height are less likely to burn intensely.
- Move firewood piles, stored trailers/recreational vehicles, storage sheds, and other combustible materials a minimum of 10 meters from your home.
- Regularly clean up accumulations of fallen branches dry grass and needles from the ground to eliminate potential surface fuels.
- remove all branches to a height of 2 meters from the ground on evergreen trees that are within 30 meters.
Dillon Bikadi
FireSmart Coordinator
dillon.bikadi@lilwat.ca