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Fire-Safe Landscaping for California Homes – Is It Possible?

Posted by San Diego Landscaper on Wednesday, 29 July , 2015
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Is there any way to fire-proof your yard? We all know that certain materials are more resistant to fire than others when used to build a home, and homeowners in fire-prone areas are advised to use these materials. However, little attention is every paid to the plants in the yard; most people seem to assume that if there is a fire, the landscape will be totally redone. There are plants you can choose that will resprout if burned, however, and some that may resist the intense heat and smoke associated with a fire nearby, according to experts.

Burned vs. Exposed Plants – Making a Comeback

If a fire hits directly in a person’s yard or home, there is little that “fire resistant” materials or plants can do. Nothing can withstand the intense, searing heat of a wildfire if it decides to make a direct hit. However, there are some plants that will regrow after a fire has burned their exteriors, such as chaparral and oak. These plants will resprout after a fire, but many plants that are burned in the flames will never come back. This is especially true for plants that have already withstood drought and are low on moisture. Fires tend to be more intense in drought areas, as well.

Some plants handle relative heat and smoke better than others, however, and these are the ones that may survive if they are spared a direct hit by a wildfire. Plants that can withstand rising temperatures and smoke over an extended period are those that will do well in wildfire-prone areas and should be natural landscaping choices for people in these regions.

Which Plants Tolerate Heat and Smoke Well?

As mentioned, native oak and chaparral tend to come back well after a fire, but there are other plants that may resist flames, smoke and heat better than others. Good choices in California for fire-resistant landscaping plants are:

  • Western redbud
  • Monkey flower
  • Sage
  • Yarrow
  • Lavender
  • California fuscia
  • Wild strawberry
  • California wax myrtle
  • Evergreen currant
  • Barberry
  • Oleander
  • Pittosporum
  • Wisteria

Grasses should be mowed to four to six inches in height in order to provide more of a firebreak but still protect habitat for insects and animals.

Juniper Landscape Company can help you choose the right plants to build a fire-resistant landscape. With the help of Juniper Landscape Company, you can enjoy beautiful plantings with the assurance that you are protecting the environment and maximizing your plants’ chances of surviving a wildfire.

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Juniper Landscape Company is a provider of professional landscaping services in San Diego, we strive to make San Diego a beautiful place by doing business with integrity and creativity.

TESTIMONIALS

  • juniper_landscape_testimonials
    Juniper Landscape Company is great. I have used them for landscape design, and they have transformed my yard into a garden retreat. Now they keep it up every week, and it looks gorgeous. They are the best San Diego landscapers! I would highly recommend Juniper Landscape Company if you are looking to landscape your... Read More
    - Gita Morena
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    Our commercial property is located at 5150-5250 Murphy Canyon Road (the corner of Clairemont Mesa Blvd and Murphy Canyon Road). Please be advised that we have maintained a landscaping contract with Joe Cryns for 16 years. Also, he was the landscaper for our property before the Chou’s purchased it. We have found Joe and his... Read More
    - Judy Westphal - Property Manager
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    I must say that Juniper Landscape Company exceeded my expectations, completing the job in a timely fashion and for a fair price which we negotiated ahead of time, and which did not change even though there were difficulties with the terrain around my home in Stonebridge Estates (Scripps Ranch). Juniper Landscape Company was on-time,... Read More
    - Gregory Berkoff
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    Thanks to the entire team at Juniper Landscape Company for a Great Job!!! It was a pleasure working with everyone…and Gabe did a great job leading the activities on-site. We were very satisfied with how the whole project progressed. The service was great...and we love the finished product! We wish everything could have gone... Read More
    - Laura & Jim Garegnani
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    I had my front and back yards fully redone and wanted them ready for a party at my house. They worked long days and sent big crews to make sure they finished in time. The results were spectacular, and I highly recommend Juniper Landscape Company!!!... Read More
    - Roberta Ganz
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    Jesse and Gabe did a fantastic job in the design and installation of our new backyard! They completed the job on budget and on time. Would highly recommend them to all!!... Read More
    - Brad Bertrand
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    I have a side strip of yard which is on the street. The original landscaping was VERY high maintenance and not attractive. I was always out there cleaning up the leaf litter or be fined by the HOA. I hired Juniper Landscape Company. They came out and actually listened to what I wanted. They... Read More
    - Laurie McHugh
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    Juniper Landscape Company has been fantastic. Before them, we ran through three or four other lawn and landscape maintenance companies who did spotty and sometimes outright poor work, were not always reliable and who ended up creating problems for us in a variety of ways. That experience led us to subscribe to Angie's List... Read More
    - Letz Design Landscape
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    Jesse & Gabe, I want to extend my thanks to you and your crew for participating in the Yard Crashers project the past few days. I know we are all exhausted due to the demands of filming and the logistics of the project with so many people involved. One of the positive elements I found in... Read More
    - Steven Letz - Letz Design Landscape
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