News Release
July 2, 2007

Landscaping Tips: Firewise landscaping helps reduce fire threat

By Donna Cuin, Extension horticulture program associate, UW CES

Keeping in mind Wyoming’s generally dry summers, one hazard rural residents face is the potential of wildfires burning forest, foothill and prairie lands. 

Wildfires not only can attack the land but can impact homes and buildings. One way to minimize or prevent damage is to incorporate Firewise plantings around homes and outbuildings.

With recent years of drought and a focus on homeland security issues, many communities are putting more emphasis on preventing potential hazards or developing methods of minimizing damage from potential disasters. There is more home construction in the urban-wildland interface areas in the last 10 years, and more Wyomingites are venturing out into life in the country. 

Whether a home is in the forest or on the high plains, there are landscape-design concepts that can help ensure the house survives a fire. 

Plant selection is an important step. Since there are no fireproof plants, landowners will want fire-resistant plants near their homes and outbuildings. Plants that help in slowing down or stopping a fire have high moisture content and have a low content of volatile sap or resin.

There is a push for people to plant drought-resistant species, but there are also higher water-using spring bloomers that are Firewise plants. They utilize the naturally occurring spring moisture.

In a Firewise planting, plants that are short and grow close to the ground are recommended near buildings. Choose species that grow slowly, need little or no frequent pruning or maintenance, and do not accumulate large amounts of combustible dead branches, leaves, or needles. (See accompanying list of suggested Firewise plants). 

The inner zone of defensible space is called zone 1 and should extend at least 30 feet from surrounding buildings. 

Zone 2 is the next 40 feet of space surrounding zone 1, and zone 3 is the outermost space – usually 70 to 100 feet from structures. 

The suggested Firewise plants will help in any of the three zones of defensible space, but the focus will be on the area right around the home – zone 1. 

With a focus on short plants with little or no pruning, the best suggestions for zone 1 will be ground covers and flowering plants. 

There are many native plants that slow fire advancement, and some residents may want to focus on creating a native-looking or Wyoming feeling in their landscapes.

Others may be more comfortable using traditional horticultural plantings for which there are many well-suited, non-native plants available. 

No matter where in the state, landowners can check with local fire districts, local Wyoming State Forestry Division offices (http://slf-web.state.wy.us/forestry.aspx) under the Offices & Contacts link, and local University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service offices (http://ces.uwyo.edu/Counties.asp) for resources to develop a defensible space around homes and outbuildings.            

Suggested Firewise flowers and ground covers

Natives
Aster   
Beebalm                      
Blanket flower
Columbine       
Delphinium      
Dotted gayfeather
Monkshood
Native iris
Northern bedstraw      
Pearly everlasting                     
Prairie coneflower                    
Prairie smoke
Pussytoes                                
Scarlet gilia                              
Sulphur flower             
Western wallflower
Wild blue flax                          
Yarrow

Non-natives
Black-eyed Susan                    
Common harebell                    
Coral-bells
Creeping grape holly                
Daffodil                                   
Hardy geranium
Hyacinth                                  
Ice plant                                  
Iris                              
Jacob’s ladder                         
Lupine                         
Monkey flower            
Pink                                        
Primrose                      
Sedum             
Skullcap                                  
Sunflower                                
Tulip

Suggested Firewise shrubs and trees
Roses
Lilacs
Littleleaf sumac
Chokecherry
Red-osier dogwood
Currant
Mountain mahogany
Spreading cotoneaster
Burning bush
Apache plume
Honeysuckle
Potentilla
Western sand cherry
Snowberry
Serviceberry
Boulder raspberry
Aspen
Cottonwood
Green and mountain ashes
Rocky Mountain and Wasatch maples
Mountain ash

More information on Firewise plants can be found at http://www.firewise.org/usa/fw_plantlists.htm.

For more information on Firewise, see www.firewise.org.

Donna Cuin can be reached at (307) 235-9400 or dcuin@natronacounty-wy.gov

Contact: Robert Waggener, Editor
Phone: (307) 766-3571
E-mail: robertw@uwyo.edu

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