It's summer and time for road trips where people toss cigarettes out of windows, lightning strikes that can hit trees and brush, camping trips where bonfires can get out of control and weekend projects in which a spark from equipment literally lights up the yard. None of these have to happen, of course, but on the off chance that you come across one of these situations, ensuring that there isn't much that could fuel a fire is essential. This includes clearing your landscape of brush and unwanted plants as quickly as possible.
Landscape Clearing Is Not Always Total
Land clearing is often done as a way to totally clear the land for construction, complete garden redos and more. It doesn't have to be total, however. You can target certain areas, and companies may agree to clear spots on the land around other plants. (The smaller and narrower the spots that need to be cleared, the harder it is to do that quickly, so check with the land clearing company before assuming it won't take long.)
If you've got some older, brushy areas at the back of the yard that have become overgrown, you can have a company clear those out without touching other sections of the yard. If you own a plot of undeveloped land and want to clear out brush while leaving trees, that's possible, too, if there's enough room around the trees to allow workers to reach all the brush. Meet with the representative from the landscaping company that is clearing the brush to figure out exactly what needs to be done.
You Don't Have to Live on a Canyon to Create a Fire Hazard
Note that you don't have to live on a canyon or up against an overgrown lot to have a fire hazard sitting by your home. That tumbling mess of vines and flowers you planted in spring — the plants that you were unable to trim properly and that have dried out in the heat — could now be a pile of fuel waiting for flames. Even your front yard landscaping by the curb can be at risk if you've let it wilt.
Brush Doesn't Have to Be Dead and Dry to Burn Easily
Dry brush and dead plants are more likely to burn fast, but foliage doesn't have to be in bad shape to pose a risk. Even if your yard looks great, if you have many plants that don't have good fire resistance, you may want to replace swathes near your house with other plants that don't burn as easily. And this is not just a matter of pulling up a perennial or two — you may want to clear the land that's immediately around your home so you can plant more suitable foliage.
This is the summer to really take stock of the plants you have on the land you own. Whether you're dealing with a back yard or rural land, prevent the spread of flames by reducing flammable piles of brush and more by clearing them out of the landscape.
