DO YOU HAVE A FIRE HAZARD?

The High Desert has some high fire danger areas, particularly at higher elevations or in mountain chaparral. It is possible to plant an attractive fire retardant landscape in the High Desert. It takes thoughtful planning and careful maintenance.

Use the same process of analyzing your specific landscape site: functional use, energy savings, color, privacy, etc. Add the priority of using low fire fuel plants, and grouping plants in fire fuel zones to protect homes and structures. Within 30 feet of your residence, low-growing, fire retardant plants should be used. In this 30 foot critical zone, maintain nonflammable landscaping such as small lawn areas, border plantings, groundcover, patio areas, and recreation areas. Large shrubs and trees should not be planted directly adjacent to your home, and in no cases should trees overhang the roof. Keep trees and shrubs trimmed of dead material. In extremely hazardous areas, the California Public Resources Code, Section 4291, requires clearance of flammable vegetation for a minimum distance of 30 to 100 feet from structures.

Making your home safe from fires is an important and complex issue. We urge you to contact the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or your local fire agency for complete information on their fire safety guidelines.

Fire Retardant Checklist:

• Plant low fire fuel plant materials, particularly within the 30 foot "critical zone."
• Keep trees and shrubs away from structures.
• Prune all plant materials of dead wood and excess stems and branches.
• Apply just the right amount of water to keep plants healthy. Too much water will promote excess plant growth which means more potential fire fuel; too little will lower the plants moisture content causing them to burn more readily.

Fire Retardant Plant List:

Grass Species: With irrigation, turfgrasses are fire resistant.

Groundcover: Achillea spp. (Yarrow),Baccharis (Coyote Bush), Ceonothus griseus horizontalis (Carmel Creeper), Heliamthemum (Sunrose), Oenothera (Mexican primrose), Santolina virins (Lavender Cotton), Sedum species (Stonecrop)

Shrubs: Ceanothus spp. (California Lilac), Cistus Spp. (Rockrose), Heteromeles (Toyon), Lavendula spp. (Lavender), Rhanus spp. (Buckthorn), Rhus ovata (Sugar Bush)

Trees: Arbutus unedo (Strawberry Tree), Gleditsia triacanthus (Honey Locust), Parkinsonia spp. (Palo Verde), Umbellularia Californica (Laurel), Washingtonia filifera (California Fan Palm), - if dead fronds are removed.

Table of Contents

Home
Introduction
Know your Local Ordinance
Desert Climate
Analyze Your Site
Landscaping a New Home
Soil Amendments
Planting Your Landscape
Make Your Own Compost
Designing and Installing
       your Irrigation System
Relandscaping for the
       High Desert
3 Year Guide for
       Relandscaping
Maintaining an Established        Landscape
Maintaining Your Irrigation        System
Water Budget Method of         Irrigating Trees and
        Shrubs
High Desert Lawn
        Watering Guide
Do You Have a Fire Hazard?
Erosion Control
The High Desert Seasons
Turf Grasses for the
        High Desert
Plant Lists
     Shrubs
     Vines
     Groundcover
     Plants for Color
     Trees

Acknowledgments