Good spring moisture and healthy summer rains often result lush green grass grew and nice, bushy trees/shrubs.  It was basically a landscaper's dream.  Nature cares of itself and leaves the human hoses dry.

What happens when the rains end and our lands dry up?

Many of us are left with overgrown natural areas surrounding our homes.  Despite the common thought that wildfires only occur in wooded areas, wildfires can burn well in sagebrush and grass too!

Steps you can do today are...

• Mow grasses to a maximum of 4 inches tall.  Make sure to weed-eat grasses that abut the home and cannot be reached by a mower. 
• Clear all dead and dying trees and shrubs within 200 feet of the home or to the property line.
• Create sufficient tree spacing of at least 10 feet between canopies.
• Remove all juniper shrubs near the home. They are highly combustible.
• Remove ladder fuels by limbing up the lower branches up to one-third of the tree height or 10 feet.
• Create "islands" of vegetation rather than large masses. 
• Make sure leaf and needle litter is less than 3 inches deep.

Future actions may include...

• Install a 5-foot noncombustible perimeter around the home with concrete or gravel
• Break up vegetation with decorative rock
• Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and reduce weed growth
• Consider xeriscaping options (landscaping without the need for supplemental irrigation).  You can use rocks or colorful decorations to make a beautiful yard.
• Consider planting species from the Firewise Plant List recommended by Phil Hoefer, a retired Colorado State Forest Service forester.  CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIST OF FIREWISE PLANT MATERIALS.

Additional Resources

Guide to Firewise Landscape & Construction by NFPA
Fire Resistant Landscaping 6.303 by CSU Extension