With the arrival of fall rains, the wildfire season is, fortunately, over for Western Washington, but we won’t soon forget the week of unhealthy air, the desperate evacuations of people and livestock or the sight of blackened acres in our region. Now would be a good time to evaluate the landscaping around your home to determine how you can keep a wildfire at a safe distance.
Clear a 5-foot area immediately around your house of flammable or dead plants, wood mulch and firewood. Incorporate fire-resistant plants that will not easily ignite or add fuel to the fire. Fire-resistant plants are moist and supple with watery sap and no dead wood or material. Well-watered annuals, perennials, groundcovers, broadleaf evergreens, deciduous shrubs and turf fall into this category. A green, well-maintained lawn mowed to a height of 4 inches can act as a fuel…
