Living in the beautiful Thompson-Okanagan region, we are surrounded by nature and all its wonders. However, as much as we love our lush green trees and vibrant foliage, it’s important to keep in mind the risks that come with having a wildland-urban interface property. With the hot and dry climate, it’s essential that we take preventative measures to keep our homes and our families safe from the threat of wildfires. In this blog post, we’ll be sharing some practical tips on how to make your yard fire safe, along with the reasons why it’s important.
Clear Your Property of Dead and Dry Vegetation: The first step in making your yard fire safe is to clear your property of any dead or dry vegetation. This includes dry grass, leaves, branches, and needles. Dead vegetation can easily ignite and fuel a wildfire. Clearing your yard of any combustible materials reduces the risk of a fire starting in your yard and spreading to your home. Ensure that you clear the vegetation within a 30-meter radius of your home, as this is where the most heat and embers occur.
Use Fire-Resistant Landscaping: Another way to make your yard fire-safe is to use fire-resistant plants. These are plants with high water content, low resin, and minimal accumulation of dead woody material. They are less likely to catch fire and burn, thus reducing the chances of a wildfire spreading through your yard. Examples of fire-resistant plants include deciduous trees like maple and birch, and shrubs like Oregon grape and snowberry.
Keep Your Gutters Clean: Dead leaves and debris in your gutters can significantly increase the risk of a wildfire starting in your home. During periods of high fire risk, it’s essential to keep your gutters clean and free from flammable debris. Ensure that your roofing and gutters are made of non-combustible materials like metal or tile.
Create a Defensible Space: A defensible space is the area around your home that has been modified to reduce the risk of a wildfire spreading to your home and property. This can be achieved by removing trees and vegetation that is too close to your home, creating fuel breaks, and using fire-resistant materials for your home and its surroundings. The recommended minimum defensible space is 10 meters on flat ground, and 30 meters on steep slopes.
Have an Evacuation Plan: Even with the precautions you take, wildfires can still occur. Having an evacuation plan is essential in ensuring the safety of your family. Make sure that everyone in your household knows the evacuation plan, including the routes to take and where to go in case of an emergency. Keep an emergency supply kit readily available and have a designated meeting place in case you get separated from each other.
Let’s all do our part in preventing wildfires and keeping our community safe.
In conclusion, making your yard fire safe is not only essential for the safety of your family and home, but also for the safety of the community as a whole. By taking simple preventative measures like clearing dry vegetation, using fire-resistant materials, and creating a defensible space, you significantly reduce the risk of a wildfire spreading to your property. Along with these measures, it’s also important to have an evacuation plan in place in case of an emergency.
For more information, read our Fire Services page.
Locations & Service Areas
We are a team of certified arborists providing tree and professional landscaping services to the Thompson-Okanagan and Shuswap regions of BC and extend discounts to seniors and repeat customers. As a family-owned business, we care about the communities we serve throughout BC.
For Professional tree and landscaping services in Kamloops, call our main office at 1-888-778-3230 or 778-362-3230
If you are looking for landscaping and tree services in Vernon or other North Okanagan locations, call 250-241-1704
For tree care and landscaping in Kelowna, call 250-801-8405.