FIRESCAPING CHECKLIST
You may wish to print out this checklist and use it to evaluate the fire safety of your landscaping. Make a note of anything that needs improvement and follow up with action before the beginning of fire season. If you have any questions, contact your local fire department.
A NOTE ABOUT THE LOCATION OF YOUR HOUSE:
The terrain and the location of your house play a big role in fire safety. If
you live on a hillside or in a canyon, you're at greater risk than if you live
on flat land. A house that is located at the top of a slope is more vulnerable
than one that is set back from the slope. If you're building a new home, consider
these factors. If your existing home is in a high risk location, pay particular
attention to fire safety.
| OK | NEEDS HELP | ITEM |
|---|---|---|
| HOUSE & OTHER BUILDINGS | ||
| Roofing (tile or other Class A material best) | ||
| Siding (Stucco or other fireproof material best) | ||
| Eaves (no eaves or boxed-in eaves best) | ||
| Vents (screened vents best, no eaves adjacent to brush areas) | ||
| Windows (small, few, double pane, away from fire side
of house best) | ||
| LANDSCAPE STRUCTURES | ||
| Fire resistive materials used (Stone, concrete, etc. best) | ||
| Wood structures of heavy timber or fire retardant materials/1 hour fire rating | ||
| Solid skirting enclosing underside of decks Fencing (stucco or masonry walls or wire fencing best) | ||
| Masonry walls used to deflect fire Mulches (rock, gravel, decomposed granite best) | ||
| Woodpiles located away from structures | ||
| Pool or pond available for emergency water supply | ||
| PLANTINGS | ||
| Zone 1 (0 to 30 feet from house): Vegetation with high moisture content | ||
| Zone 2 (30 to 60 feet from house): Lawn, ground covers, erosion control grasses, succulents | ||
| Zone 3 (60 to 100 feet from house): Low fuel volume planting | ||
| Zone 4 (100 to 200 feet from house): Thinned native vegetation with shrubs in groups 20 feet apart minimum | ||
| All Zones: | ||
| Avoid planting highly flammable vegetation (Pine trees, junipers and others) | ||
| Remove ladder fuels | ||
| Tree branches removed 3 to 6 ft. from ground | ||
| Consider planting trees at least 15 ft. from structures | ||
| Trees kept away from power lines | ||
| Trees trimmed at least 10 ft. away from chimney openings | ||
| 18 ft. minimum separation between groups of shrubs | ||
| Brush, weeds & grass trimmed to 3" or less within 10 ft. away of roadways | ||
| Plants cleared 10 ft. from LPG tanks | ||
| Deadwood and fine dead aerial fuel removed from trees & shrubs | ||
| Weeds removed or mowed to height of 3" (consider erosion) | ||
| Pine needles, leaves and other flammable debris removed from roof, gutters, ground | ||
| All rubbish, debris & resultant plant material removed & disposed of legally | ||
| Bare soil covered with plants or mulch to prevent erosion |