Landscaping Guide For HomeownersLandscaping Guide For Homeowners

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Landscaping Guide For Homeowners

Hello, my name is Justin Malone and on this blog you'll find a lot of useful information about landscaping. When I moved into my newly built home, I didn't even have any grass in my yard, so I had to start from scratch. Before I tackled the project of landscaping my property, I did a large amount of research first. I learned how to plant grass seed, and when the grass started to grow, I researched planting trees. As my yard started taking shape, I planted shrubs and made flower beds. My next landscape project was building a fish pond and I completed it with ease after doing the research. I'm writing this blog as a guide for others who want to do their own landscaping and I hope that it helps you learn how to create a beautiful yard.

5 Situations To Remove Trees For Fire Management

28 June 2023
 Categories: , Blog

Tree care and removal should be an important part of your home's defense against fire. Deadwood, overhanging branches, and other concerns with the trees in your landscape can increase the chances of a wildfire spreading to your home.

1. Die Back

Trees suffering from dieback pose a major fire risk, even if some of the branches are still full and lush. Dieback comes in many forms, from whole branches dying off to only the tips of the branches dying back. If dieback isn't severe or due to a treatable pest or disease issue, it may be possible to trim out the dead wood. Severe or untreatable dieback requires removing the tree so it doesn't potentially provide fuel for a fire.

2. Heart Rot

Heart rot is a very common concern with a variety of tree species. The wood inside a trunk can begin to rot without causing any distress to the tree, but it does tend to mean the tree is more flammable in the event of a fire. If you spot symptoms of heart rot, such as visible splits and cavities in the trunk or mushroom growth along the trunk, then it's time to remove the tree.

3. House Proximity 

Trees growing too close to the house are a major fire risk, as embers and flames can easily jump from tree to house. For this reason, any trees within zone 1, which extends out 30 feet from the house, should be removed. Trees planted in zone 2 can remain even if they overhang zone one, as long as the branches are trimmed back from the house and all dead wood is removed regularly.

4. Density Concerns

Another concern is the density of the plantings. There needs to be space between trees and shrubs to minimize the chances of fire spread. Spacing trees at least 10 feet apart is necessary, and shrubs growing directly beneath a tree require about 3 times their vertical height of clearance between the top of the shrub and the lowest branches on the tree. Anything less means that some trees and shrubs may need to be removed.

5. Drought Stress

Drought is often the cause of a fire, and trees prone to drought stress are more likely to dry out and become fuel for a fire. Planting native tree and shrub varieties that can continue to thrive during dry periods is ideal. Those varieties prone to wilting and drying out during droughts should be removed since they won't be as robust in the event of a fire.

Contact a tree removal service if you have concerns about wildfire management.