Fire doesn't create anything new, it just exists. If it has to destroy something to do that, fire doesn't mind. From fire's point of view, that's other, and it exists primarily so that fire can live.
In regions where wildfires are a natural part of the environment, such as the Mediterranean, owners of properties bordering wild landscapes face an increased risk of encountering fire.
Creating a buffer zone around the house or other structures is an important aspect of living in such areas. This zone must be free of potential fuel and serve as a barrier that slows the spread of fire; it is also essential for firefighters to safely combat the fire.
Three steps to creating a buffer zone: using fire-resistant building materials; clearing the area around the house and property of deadwood and other combustible materials; and incorporating fire-resistant plants into the landscape.
These actions do not guarantee that your home will not be touched by the wild elements of fire, but they increase the chances of protection.
By maintaining a buffer zone, your property will not become a source of ignition, will not fuel the fire if a blaze occurs nearby, will reduce the rate of fire spread, and will provide a safe zone for firefighters battling the flames.
Highly flammable plants in your landscape can act as fuel and increase fire intensity—for example, eucalyptus.
Fire-resistant plants do not readily ignite from flames or other ignition sources. While these plants may be damaged or even killed by fire, their foliage and stems do not contribute to the fuel load and, consequently, to the fire intensity.
Here are examples of plants recommended by scientists in Australia and the southern United States as fire-resistant: acacia species, black locust, chinaberry, brachychiton, myoporum, Moreton Bay fig, Mediterranean saltbush, Oregon grape, eastern redbud, hawthorn, plane tree, sumac, and sweetgum.
It is important to consider that fire-resistant plants will not be fireproof if they do not receive proper care.
Yana Danyuk
Principal Designer
For example, irrigation must meet their needs (to reduce water costs, choose drought-tolerant plants).
I would like to highlight the importance of sanitary pruning! This is what is most often neglected in garden maintenance. If the interior of your hedge or overgrown shrubs resembles a haystack, filled with old, dead, dry branches and leaves, then it is fuel for a fire.
We will be happy if this article helps someone preserve life and property.
Yana Danyuk
Principal Designer
Yana Danyuk
Principal Designer of Gardeniana. She creates designer gardens in Athens and throughout Greece.
