Author Q & A

Why is firescaping so important for those of us who live in the west, and why will it be even more important in the future?

Between 30% and 80% of communities in the west live in the wildland urban interface (WUI), where communities are adjacent or intermixed with wilder areas. Over the last decade, the number, size, and intensity of wildland fires has increased, causing more structure losses and fatalities. In the future, the climate in the western US is going to be even more fire prone. It is essential for these WUI communities to have resources to draw from to feel confident in their wildland fire readiness preparations.

What is firescaping, and how does this book help homeowners in wildfire country?

Firescaping is preparing your landscape to be as resilient as possible to wildland fire. Our book will help readers do this by describing how to:

●      Assess the variables of their community, climate, and landscape that make it susceptible to wildland fire.

●      Decrease the density of their fuels based on what zone the fuels are in.

●      Reduce the flammability of their plants by increasing plant health and resilience.

●      Pick appropriate plants for both their ecoregion and fire resistant/resilient properties.

Is it possible to strike a balance between firescaping and coexisting with nature?

Absolutely, that is why we wrote this book! Firescaping focuses on managing fuels (whatever those fuels are) on your landscape, while nature/habitat supportive gardening is about making specific choices about what plants you chose to have in your yard. Our book can help readers take small steps season by season and year by year to become more prepared for a fire emergency and build stronger connections to nature with their landscape.

Where should homeowners interested in firescaping start?

Step one: Family first.

Beyond our book topics, know that being prepared to evacuate saves your family and that is more important than your home and landscape. Have a “Go Bag” that includes your wildland fire action plan (house preparation, packing lists, evacuation plans, and contact numbers) so when an emergency arises, you and your family are ready to go.

Step two: Structures second.

Assess your house and any other structures where you live for fire vulnerability. Then prioritize fireproofing on those structures with respect to degree of hazard, and costs for upgrades. We provide lots of tips in our book, but you can also consult with a fire professional or contractor with experience in how to make homes more fire resistant.

Step three: Landscapes third.

Noncombustible Zone (0-5 ft): No more “foundation plantings”. During fire season (depending on conditions), nothing combustible should be within about 5 feet of any structure. That includes wood fencing.

Lean, Clean, & Green Zone (5-30 ft, or more depending on slope): Research indicates that thinning fuels within 30 feet of structures, and maintaining a noncombustible zone next to structures, are far more important than anything you might do beyond the Lean, Clean, & Green zone. Plants should be kept healthy, and clustered plantings can be punctuated by noncombustible areas of rock, bare ground, inorganic mulches, etc.

Step four: Habitat support.

Think about your neighbors; that is, your plant neighbors, your wildlife neighbors, and your human neighbors. The more land we develop, the more we need to provide oases for native plants. Pollinators and other wildlife need food, water, and shelter. Learn more about how to provide those resources in your yard, and when. The timing of when you clear vegetation can have huge impacts on pollinators and birds in particular. In a cooler, wetter year, you should leave flowers, seeds, branches, and other habitat in place longer prior to fire season to allow organisms to reproduce. In a hotter, drier year you might have to clear vegetation sooner, but many of your wildlife neighbors would clear out sooner as well. Your human neighbors can be a weak link in the firescaping chain, so fire resilience also should be coordinated at the community level. For example, fences may make good neighbors, but wood fences shed embers like crazy. When attached to houses, fires can burn house-to-house following fence lines, toppling like dominoes.

Step five: Enjoy.

Enjoy the natural beauty of your region with the confidence that you have prepared for evacuation if needed and reduced your fire risks while continuing to support the habitat around you.

How do natives help protect homeowners and landscapes?

Outside of managing fuel densities, the other main goal of firescaping is to maintain plant health. The healthier the plant, the more resistant/resilient it will be to fire. Plants that are native to your ecoregion are used to the climate where you live, thus, the maintenance required to keep native plants healthy is much less than any non-native plant. In addition, once you get natives established, it takes very little watering to keep them healthy. Saving water, time, and money! Finally, natives support and promote diversity of wildlife on your landscape.

What season should homeowners get started with their landscaping?

Preparing for fire is an all year process! Each season of the year you can be doing something in your yard to be ready for fire season. Spreading your efforts across the whole year makes the process much less stressful headed into fire season.