Hot, dry weather inspires fireproofing
The other morning as I sat with my cup of coffee, waiting for it to get my heart started for the day, I noticed a frenzy of activity in the leafy branches of one of my Rocky Mountain Maples.
The action came where the sprinkler’s water was heaviest, catching one of the viney branches with a cascade that dripped from twig to twig, saturating each leaf before landing in the garden below.
Curious, I grabbed my ever-present binoculars and focused in on — a hummingbird.
It was playing in the spray, cavorting and gamboling amongst the saturated leaves, whirling and diving to get soaking wet, stopping occasionally on a twig to shake and fluff in the lavish bath, slurping up water droplets from time to time — an intricate ballet that held me entranced for a good five minutes or so, until the tiny prima ballerina, sated, zipped off to preen and dry.
It was too precious to keep to myself, but since most of my family and friends are not early risers (as I am), I waited a decent interval and called a friend, homebound with a cast on her leg, and regaled her with this hugest of adventures. She was understanding, and agreed that such an experience is indeed, a gift.
The area where my maples grow is a shady spot incorporating a huge Grand fir next to a small ornamental garden centered with a birdbath. It’s part of my bird sanctuary, protected by the large branches of the fir, which in wintertime I embellish with containers of sunflower seeds and suet cakes for an enthusiastic population of chickadees, nuthatches and various other songbird visitors.
The back of my property, however, is not so kindly. It contains unsightly clumps of small pines and spindly cottonwoods too close to each other to grow properly, and actually constituting a possible fire danger. I am finally taking the bull by the horns and having extensive thinning undertaken to lessen that danger, and to enhance the growing capabilities of the choicer trees in the area. The added benefit of wood for next winter’s burning is a great plus factor.
The subject of fire-resistant landscaping is an enormous one, and can include planning from the actual building and placement of your house — or simply taking a few steps during garden designing to provide some protection in the event of fire.
There’s an excellent University of Idaho Extension booklet available — “Protecting and Landscaping Homes in the Wildland/Urban Interface” — it is an invaluable resource for builders and landscapers as well as home gardeners seeking to find an edge in the threat of fire.
An Idaho Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station publication, it is available from Forest Service and/or Extension offices as Station Bulletin No. 67, contribution No. 844. With fall planting soon to be under way, today’s column will address some of the appropriate information it contains.
Fire-resistive plants share the following characteristics: High moisture content in their leaves; little or no seasonal accumulation of dead vegetation; low volume of total vegetation; an open, loose branching habit; are slow growing.
A partial list of possible choices includes a variety of native and domestic possibilities:
Ornamentals and groundcovers:
Ajuga, Allium, Aquilegia (columbine), Arabis (rockcress), kinnikinnick, Artemisia, Asarum (wild ginger), Aster, Bergenia, Campanula, Chrysanthemum, Coral bells, Coreopsis, Cotoneaster, Daylily, Delphinium, Dianthus, Echinacea, Gaillardia, Galium (sweet woodruff), Geranium (hardy Crane’s bill), Grapes, Honeysuckle, Iris, Lilies, Lupine, Mahonia (Oregon grape), Monarda (Beebalm), Poppy, Penstemon, Phlox (creeping varieties), Roses, Rudbeckia, Salvia (sage), Sedum, Vinca, Violets, Wisteria.
Shrubs:
Serviceberry, Barberry, Burning bush, Butterfly bush, Chokecherry, Cornus (red osier dogwood), Currant, Elderberry, Forsythia, Lilac, Ninebark, Ocean spray, Pachistima (Mountain lover), wild Strawberry, Raspberry and Blackberry, Rhododendron, Snowberry, Sumac, Syringa, Viburnum.
Trees:
Maple, horsechestnut/ buckeye, Alder, Hawthorn, Ash, Apple/crabapple, Aspen and Cottonwood, Locust (black and honey), Mountain ash, Prunus (cherry, prune, plum), Willow.
Grasses:
Wheatgrass, buffalo-grass, orchard-grass, fescue (such as Idaho Blue), ryegrass, and bluegrass. Green turf is very fire-resistive, so if you have lawn space, keep it well watered through the summer, or keep it trimmed low, especially close to the house.
Points to remember:
When maintaining your landscape, you must actively reduce fuel accumulations by regular pruning, mowing, raking and removal. The less accumulated plant debris, the slower a fire will spread and the lower your spot fire potential.
Pay extra attention to flammable materials that contact the house. Keep the roof and gutters clear of needles and other debris. Don’t allow plant litter deposited by wind to accumulate in corners or at the foundation of the house.
If trees have just a few branches within 10-15 feet of each other, prune them back. If adjacent trees have many branches crowding together,it may be time to thin out a few more trees. This will also improve the health of the remaining trees. Prune dead branches as needed. Cut or pull seedlings periodically after they emerge in the understory. For trees you are keeping, be sure to water them directly and deeply — lawn watering does not usually penetrate the sod to the tree roots.
Emergency tactics:
Finally, if you actually live in “the boonies,” in the event of a threatening wildfire, be ready at a moment’s notice. Post numbers of fire protection agencies near your phones; have emergency food, water, clothing and pet supplies and carriers at hand to evacuate — including horses and other livestock; always park in the direction of escape with an extra ignition key always handy.
If there is time, wet down decks, siding, lawns and roof, cover attic and basement vents, shut off gas supply and move gas grill away from structures.
Turn on all indoor and outdoor lights to make your house easier for firefighters to find in the dark. Hopefully, this last section will be moot. But being prepared is always the best remedy.
Too, lest one become too zealous in the search for special plants, remember the booklet’s final caution: In the end “there are no fire proof plant materials. Landscape maintenance and plant care (pruning and watering) is far more important than the selection of fire-resistive versus fire-prone plant materials.”
(Editor’s note: For many years, Valle Novak has written gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. "Weekend Gardener" and "Country Chef" became renowned for their humor, information, and common-sense advice on how to do everything from planting to cooking. She left behind many columns to delight her many fans. This is one such column, originally published on Aug. 17, 2008.)
