Wildfire Warriors Landscaping tips for safeguarding you home

Story by Alice Slusher

It’s not official yet, but it would seem that we now have a fifth season in the Pacific Northwest — wildfire season. We’ve been fortunate so far this year, but the smoke and nearby wildfires in the past couple of years have made us all realize that we live under a constant threat. In fact, experts say that since wildfires are not a matter of if, but rather when they will happen!

When protecting a house from wildfires, it’s up to us to create defensible space by clearing flammable materials within 30100 feet of our homes to stop fires from getting too close to the house and give firefighters the space they need to work.

The placement and kind of vegetation near homes can be the deciding factors between survival and destruction. Homes surrounded by thick, dry vegetation like tall grass, shrubs, and close-by trees face a greater risk of catching fire. On the flip side, a well-maintained landscape featuring fire-resistant plants, properly trimmed trees, and enough space between plants can act as a natural barrier, lowering the chances of the fire spreading to the property.

Here are some easy steps to take Remove brush near your house and under trees to block the fire’s path and prevent it from reaching your home or spreading to other trees. Replace with a well-irrigated flower bed and fire-resistant plants.

Cut or thin out low-hanging branches, dead limbs, and dense tree stands so a fire won’t use the trees as a ladder. Keep your lawn mowed at 4 inches or less to keep fire from racing across it.

Programs & Events

OSU Extension Columbia County 503-397-3462

Online Workshops: Registration is required. extension.oregonstate.edu/county/ columbia/events

Gardening Spot on KOHI (1600am radio)

Every Saturday, 8:05 to 8:15am

WSU Extension Cowlitz County 360-577-3014

304 Cowlitz Way, Kelso, Wash. For connection info or registration for in-person classes: cowlitzcomg.com/publicevents)

In-person Workshop

Sept 7, 6pm Seed Saving

Online Workshops. Tues., noon:

Aug 15 Weeds: What to do in Fall

Aug 22 Harvesting the Garden

Aug 29 Seed Saving

Sept 9 Water-wise gardening with droughtresistant plants

Sept 12 Growing Garlic in the Pacific Sept 19 Composting awayfrom vegetation. Place the tanks, stored firewood, and other flammable materials at least thirty feet away from your home.

If you have a propane tank, keep it properly anchored and ten feet twigs, needles, and leaves. Plants with strong-smelling sticky sap or papery bark should also be considered risky. Many evergreen conifer trees and shrubs, such as arborvitae and junipers, fall into this category.

Clear leaves and debris from your 30’ perimeter, deck, roof, and gutters. Prune back any branches that overhang your roof. While you’re at it, don’t burn your yard debris. Recycle or compost it properly.

After reading this, it may sound like you are supposed to create a desert landscape around your home. However, by eliminating very flammable plants and choosing fire-resistant plants, you can create lovely, colorful surroundings.

Plants that act like torches in a fire have certain traits: Their leaves, twigs, and stems contain flammable substances like waxes, terpenes, or oils that you can smell as strong, aromatic scents when you crush their leaves, and they have fine, dry, or dead material like

No plants are fireproof, but there are many fire-resistant plants available for your landscape, and they share certain characteristics. Deciduous plants boast fire-resistant qualities, thanks to their moisture-filled leaves and bare branches in winter, making fire spread difficult. Their leaves have low resin and watery sap. Look for plants that don’t accumulate excessive dead leaves and branches in their interiors, as dry litter becomes fuel for fires. Choose slow-growing plants requiring minimal pruning, making them ideal choices for fire-prone areas.

I’ve only touched on the highlights of home protection, and if you’d like more essential information, including fire-resistant plant lists, look online for OSU’s publications Fire-resistant Plants for Home Landscapes, and Living with Fire: A Guide for the Homeowner. Now is the time to start thinking about next year’s plant because fall is the best time to transplant new perennials, trees, and shrubs. Stay ready, stay safe!

Dedicated community volunteer honored

Longtime community fireball Arleen

Hubble (center) was honored recently with a plaque at Lake Sacajawea. Hubble “has devoted years of leadership and volunteering throughout the community,” wrote State Senator and Longview Port Commissioner Jeff Wilson, citing the annual Go Fourth celebration, United Way, American Cancer Society, Christmas parades and many more activities. Wilson is pictured here, along with his wife, Trisha (right), and mother, Judie Wilson.