Fire Safety Lives Here
We’ve been told a fire safe yard near our home is an empty yard with gravel or plants spaced unnaturally far apart. But fire science tells us our yards can be safe, lush and green. Shade, moisture, and the right well maintained plants can be part of our home’s defense in a firestorm.
Naturally Fire-Resistant
A Living Green Zone uses low-growing, naturally spaced vegetation near homes instead of gravel or hardscape or a "moat of bare dirt" that invites weeds or reflects heat back onto the building. It uses plant species that have evolved in the local area, are adapted to the local climate, soil, and fire. They also tend to hold moisture and be low in volatile oils.
Naturally cool microclimate
Trees and layered vegetation provide shade and humidity, which helps lower surface temperatures and slow the spread of fire. In contrast, an empty zone around homes that use gravel, small potted plants and bare trunk specimen trees are often stressed or brittle, which is when they become flammable and can act like kindling in a fire. When designed correctly, a Living Green Zone helps protect homes from urban firestorms better than a conventional or bare or graveled yard ever could.