Fire season is year-round in Southern California - Plant selections for optimal fire protection

The plants surrounding a house have enormous influence in determining a home’s survival during a wildfire. Remember to think lean, clean and green.

Vegetation will either lead a fire to a structure or stop it. Lawns, succulents (plants with high water content), hardscape and creative boulder and rockscaping are a few elements that can be incorporated into a firescape design.

Picking plants for a firescape garden is difficult. At one point or another every plant will burst into flames under the right conditions, so there are many decisions to make.

Three gauges are used to determine a plant’s d...