High Elevation Gardening Web Log "Blog"

Just as have the Southern Californians, we’ve built our homes into the wilderness. The least of our worries is the elk and deer eating our tulips. The real worry is wildfires. Such a disaster could happen here in the high country. After years of drought our ponderosa pine forest is just as vulnerable to fire as were the parched hills of California.
Closer to home in 2002 the Rodeo-Chediski fire raced through several White Mountain communities wiping out an estimated 467 homes. As many as 30,000 people were evacuated, and fortunately no lives were lost.
As homeowners, we aren’t helpless. We can create defensible spaces around our homes to protect them and also give firefighters a fighting chance to save them in the event of a wildfire. A defensible space is the buffered area around our homes where vegetation can stop or slow the spread of wildfire.
We can create a defensible space first by removing all flammable vegetation within 15 feet of our homes, not just from the foundation but also the eaves and decks. In areas where the danger of wildfire is greater, the distance should be 30 feet.
After removing flammable vegetation, we should prune branches overhanging the roof and chimney and any branches touching the roof so that the branches don’t become firebrands, setting our roofs on fire.
After that, prune branches within 15 feet of our homes and 10 feet above the ground. Remove shrubs, small trees, or other potential "ladder" fuels from under large trees. Left in place, flames can climb these ladders, carrying a ground fire into the crowns of trees where it can run with the winds from tree to tree.
Away from our homes, thin out any trees and brush forming continuous covers, thinning trees to 10 and 12 feet between the edges of the trees’ crowns.
Mow dry grass and weeds around the house to a height of 6 inches or less. This is particularly important during our dry, windy springs before plants have greened and in the fall when grasses have dried.
Stressed, diseased, dead, or dying trees and shrubs should be cleaned out. The remaining larger trees and shrubs should be pruned and thinned to decrease their flammability.
Keep roof and gutters free of leaves, needles, and other debris.
And finally, rake up pine needles. As fire raged near Lake Tahoe last June, one homeowner attributes the survival of his home to the fact that he raked his pine needles. The flames burned into his backyard right up to the line where he’d raked the pine needles.
Pine needles are all right as winter mulch for less-than hardy or new plantings, but they have to be raked up before the start of the fire season in spring.
Even though the cold of winter has set in, now is the time to create a defensible space before the snow flies. It’s smart to get it done well before the advent of fire season. Playing catch up with fire is playing with fire.
Creating a defensible space doesn’t mean foregoing beautiful landscapes. Barren landscapes aren’t the best defense. Carefully planned green landscapes are the most effective defenses, especially if they’re well maintained. Arizona Firewise has several publications to help design a fire-resistant landscape, as well as additional information on keeping our property safe from wildfire. Go to: cals.arizona.edu/firewise/howto.html.
Firefighters deserve our gratitude. Our duty is to help them by making our properties easier to protect. Defensible spaces make it safer for them when they’re protecting our homes during a wildfire.

By Hattie Braun
(Dana Prom Smith is the volunteer coordinating editor for the Master Gardener Column and a Master Gardener volunteer. He can be contacted at stpauls@npgcable.com. Hattie Braun is the Master Gardener Coordinator for Coconino County Cooperative Extension. For more information about the Master Gardener Program, call 774-1868 ext.17 or visit our Web Site: highelevationgardening.arizona.edu.)