FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide
Basics
Title
FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide
Description
By making some strategic choices in your yard, you can increase the wildfire resiliency of your property. This guide includes an extensive list of fire-resistant plants, as well as tips on how to create a FireSmart landscape around your property. The guide is intended for homeowners, tenants, developers and community planners to make informed choices about managing lawns and gardens to increase resilience to wildfire.
Date
March 1, 2024
Creator Organization
FireSmart BC, Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC), BC FireSmart Committee (BCFSC), Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), First Nations' Emergency Services Society (FNESS)
Authors
Ryan Turcot | Kelsey Winter | Karen Borden | Janet Ford | Darrick Andrew | Karla Hoffman | Brent Schorr | Telise Gauthier | Heike Stippler
Document Type
manual
Document URL
Full Text URL
Metadata
Keywords
FireSmart
|wildfire mitigation
|fire-resistant plants
|landscaping
|vegetation management
|wildfire resiliency
|xeriscaping
|native plants
|plant hardiness zones
|pollinators
|prescribed fire
|cultural burning
|Indigenous fire practices
|wildland-urban interface
|home ignition zones
|fuel management
|ember protection
|defensible space
Document ID
202510171336
Document Filename
firesmart-bc_landscaping-guide_202510171336.pdf
Storage Location
education/firesmart
Key Findings
Key findings include: maintaining a 1.5-metre non-combustible zone around homes is critical as 50% of home fires from wildfires are started by embers; changes within 10 metres of home have the biggest impact on wildfire risk; three priority zones are defined (Immediate 0-1.5m, Intermediate 1.5-10m, Extended 10-30m); vertical considerations require pruning lower tree branches 2m from ground to prevent ladder fuels; horizontal spacing of plants and use of non-combustible materials reduces fire spread; fire-resistant plants have moist supple leaves, little dead material, and open branching habits while highly flammable plants contain volatile oils, resinous sap, and fine dead material; cedar and juniper hedges are extremely flammable and should be replaced with broadleaf evergreens; proper plant maintenance including watering, removing dead material, and keeping lawns mowed to maximum 10cm height significantly reduces fire risk; mulch selection matters with inorganic materials posing lowest risk while shredded cedar poses highest risk; FireSmart principles can be compatible with water conservation and pollinator attraction; Indigenous knowledge and cultural burning practices are important for landscape-level wildfire management.
Map Descriptions
Page 26: Detailed map of Plant Hardiness Zones of British Columbia showing zones 0a through 9a across the province, with color-coded regions indicating different temperature tolerance zones. The map includes geographic features and is produced by Natural Resources Canada showing which plant species can survive in different regions based on minimum winter temperatures.
Graph Descriptions
Page 10: Chart showing mulch materials fire risk across three home ignition zones (Immediate 0-1.5m, Intermediate 1.5-10m, Extended 10-30m) with color-coded risk levels from very low to extremely high for various organic and inorganic mulch types.
|Page 28-44: Extensive plant charts displaying FireSmart plant species organized by category (Trees, Shrubs, Vines and Groundcovers, Turf Grasses, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials and Biennials, Annuals, Bulbs) with columns showing USDA Hardiness Zones, sun/shade preferences, mature height, water use categories (very low, low, medium, high), pollinator attraction indicators, and leaf types.
|Page 46: Fire Hazards chart identifying high-risk plants including various conifers (Arborvitae, Cedar, Douglas Fir, Firs, Juniper, Pine, Spruce, Yew) and other highly flammable species (Broom, Fountain Grass, Holly, Pampas Grass) with risk level indicators.
Image Descriptions
Page 1: Cover image showing a wheelbarrow filled with garden debris including pine branches and dried plant material on a lawn with trees in background, illustrating yard maintenance and fuel removal.
|Page 2: Close-up photograph of white flowering shrub (appears to be a pollinator-friendly plant) with green foliage.
|Page 3: Image of hands planting or potting a small green plant in terracotta pots on a wooden surface.
|Page 5: Photograph showing a ground fire with low flames burning through grass and forest floor, demonstrating controlled or prescribed burning.
|Page 7: Image of person in green plaid shirt holding pruning shears and cut branches, representing yard maintenance activities.
|Page 11: Young person with blonde hair using a leaf rake to gather fallen leaves on a lawn, demonstrating fuel reduction through yard cleanup.
|Page 13: Landscape photograph of deer (appears to be male with antlers) grazing on grass in natural setting, illustrating wildlife considerations in landscaping.
|Page 15: Close-up image of hands using pruning shears to trim plant branches.
|Page 17: Flowering shrub or hedge with white blooms against a building, showing privacy screening options.
|Page 20: Images showing proper yard maintenance practices including stacked firewood away from structures, person pruning tree branches, person removing debris from roof gutters, and person mowing lawn.
|Page 22: Two images - left shows decorative rock garden with ornamental grasses and flowering plants; right shows stone pathway through planted garden bed with various plants and large rocks.
|Page 25: Close-up of a watering can spout watering plants, demonstrating irrigation practices.
|Page 27: Deer herd (multiple individuals with antlers) grazing on grass in natural setting at dusk or dawn.
|Page 29: Young child with blonde hair using a leaf rake on a lawn covered with autumn leaves, representing family involvement in yard maintenance and FireSmart practices.
Page Count
29
Publisher Location
British Columbia, Canada
File Format
application/pdf
Geographic Locations
British Columbia | Canada