Wildfires have been raging in the western state but luckily, most of Blaine County has saw some rainfall this past week ; however, weather can always change and become hot and dry in an instant. We are no strangers to wildfires. Even winters can be very dry increasing the potential for wildfires. Lives, homes, livestock, pastureland, crops, and thousands of miles of fencing can be lost to the flames.
Although a wildfire does not discriminate among its victims, there are some steps homeowners can take to help protect their property from fire, whether it be a wildfire or an accidental fire at home caused by a charcoal grill during a cookout.
The key to keeping a fire at bay is to not provide fuel for the fire. There are plants and shrubs available that are more fire-resistant than others. Fire-resistant plants are those that don’t readily ignite from a flame or other ignition sources. Although the plants themselves can be damaged or killed by a fire, their foliage and stems don’t significantly contribute to the fuel and, therefore, the fire’s intensity.
Seeing a need for information for homeowners, several agencies, including Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension, joined forces in the early 1990s and coined the term Firewise. This became a catalyst for educational resources and programs to help homeowners, communities, and firefighters to make sensible choices in the wild land/urban interface, which would in turn help control wildfires and protect property.
When selecting plants to include in a Firewise landscape, homeowners need to identify plants with a low flammability rating for areas nearing the home. By selecting plants with certain characteristics, you can reduce the flammability potential of your landscape and provide habitat for wildlife. There are several factors that influence the fire characteristics of plants, including plant moisture content, age, total volume, dead material, and chemical content.
Plants with low flammability don’t accumulate large amounts of combustible dead branches, needles or leaves as they grow. They also have little dead wood and tend not to accumulate dry, dead material within the plant. They have open, loose branches with a low volume of total branches. Many of our deciduous trees and shrubs are fire resistant.
Many herbaceous perennials make excellent Firewise plantings. Some remain green in the winter, which in turn reduces their flammability.
As you plan out a new landscape or add to an existing one, be sure to consider fire potential in your plant selections. For more information on Firewise, please visit www.firewise.org.