Return of the Fire Defenders in Your Backyard

By Mackenzie Morris, Plant Biological Technician

August 2021 - Native Californian tribes such as the Miwok developed fire regimes to maintain healthy and productive ecosystems. Non-Indigenous land managers have suppressed fire for years which has led to what we now call “Fire Season.” So now some land managers are slowly reintroducing fire regimes, such as prescribed and cultural burns. These have immense power in protecting against catastrophic fires. But bringing back fire regimes isn’t necessarily an easy option close to our homes and communities. So what other opportunities do we have to support local fire resilience? For individual property owners, one answer is maintaining thriving, native, fire-resistant gardens.

Mackenzie identifying all plant species within a one square meter quadrat in Point Reyes National Seashore. Native grassland plants like California blue-eyed grass and yarrow are an essential part of maintaining moisture in your yard without excessive watering. NPS / Danielle Parsons

In Marin County, the first step to start a fire-resistant garden is by reaching out to the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority for a free Wildfire Mitigation Home Assessment. The professionals can offer unique insights to protecting your home. FireSafe Marin and the California Native Plant Society recommend a variety of native plants that can be used in firescaping. A firescape is a landscape design featuring fire-resistant plants that makes a property less vulnerable to wildfire. Firescaping with native plants is especially important for homes in the wildland urban interface where it can extend wildlife habitat.

As a biological technician with the San Francisco Bay Area Network’s Plant Community Monitoring Program, I am excited by firescaping’s potential to reconnect our yards with native plant communities and protect our homes. This season, I monitored plots in coast live oak woodlands, coast dune scrub, and annual grasslands across Marin County. Each of these communities are home to native, fire resistant plants. Many are also great for firescaping:

Quercus agrifolia (coast live oak) are the most fire resistant California oak species. Their tough evergreen leaves and thick bark are fire resistant adaptations, slowing the speed at which the tree burns. Minimal watering is required to establish new trees, and after they’re 10 feet tall, summer watering should be entirely avoided. It is vital to trim the canopies and shade the roots with cover plants. Without proper maintenance and well-draining soil, the inner bark could dry out transforming Quercus agrifolia into a quick ignition source.

Baccharis pilularis (coyote Brush) is fire resistant and drought tolerant. Their low growing, open structure can offer a valuable line of defense. Watering once a week with a drip system maximizes its fire resistant capabilities.

Ground covers like Sisyrinchium bellum (California blue-eyed grass) and Achillea millefolia (yarrow) are an essential part of maintaining moisture in your yard without excessive watering. They are both extremely easy to grow and reseed themselves.

For more information

• Visit FireSafe Marin and CalScape to learn more about fire-resistant gardening practices and growing requirements for native plants.
• Check out the California Native Plant Society to discover more native, fire-resistant plants for your area!

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Where this belongs

• Golden Gate National Recreation Area
• Point Reyes National Seashore

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