Tragic fires seem to be becoming an ever-present part of life for Californians. While there is nothing you can do with your landscape to make your property completely fireproof, we can give you a few tips for helping prevent a fire from spreading as rapidly across your property. A few minutes can be the difference between life and death, so everything you do will count.

• Remove fuel ladders – What does that mean? Don’t plant trees right by your home that can quickly transfer fire from the ground to the roof of your home. Fire can spread from the ground to a tree canopy in moments. Keeping certain types of trees away from the house can give you those few extra moments you need.
• Have a defensible space – A defensible space creates a buffer between your home or business and an approaching wildfire by reducing what can quickly cause the fire to spread in certain areas around structures. This involves removing any dead plants or trees (which will burn faster), clearing out gutters, pruning nearby shrubs, and getting rid of anything under your porch that could catch fire easily.
• Maintain the landscape – Good maintenance helps too. The healthier your landscape is, the slower the fire will spread. Again, a healthy tree will still burn, but if you can slow the fire down even a little, it may save a life.

Stay Safe California

While West Coast Trees is primarily a palm tree sales and contract growing company, we care about our community and want you to stay safe. That’s why we offer tips like these from time to time. If you need help planning your landscape for fire safety, you can call our landscape consultation services at 619-518-9507, or contact us online.