Choosing the Right Plants - University of Nevada, Reno

Southern California Fires

of 2003

3,340 homes destroyed

and 23 lives lost

“Ornamental vegetation

created an unpredictable and

significant fuel source that

blew into attic vents and

eaves and spread through

neighborhoods by torching,

crowning, or throwing

embers. Structures became

involved from ember attack

from the inside out rather

than flame impingement.”

Southern California Firestorm 2003

Report for the Wildfire Lessons Learned

Center

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION • (^11)
Maintenance
Pruning
Placement
Irrigation
 Irrigate sufficiently to maintain high plant moisture content during fire
season.
Pruning
 Remove low tree branches to a height of at least 10 feet. Also remove
small trees and shrubs from under the tree canopy. This will help prevent
a surface fire from reaching the tree canopy. Do not remove more than a
third of the total tree branches.
REDUCE THE FIRE HAZARD ∙ PART 1
Irrigation