Category Archives: Firewise Plants

2012 November Horticultural Report: Firewise Plants

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The Ashland Fire Dept is asking residents to seriously consider planting fire resistant plants around their house and property to reduce fire hazards. They are advising homeowners to remove all plants they consider fire hazards and in their place plant firewise plants.

For more information, and to schedule a free wildfire safety home assessment call: Ali True, Ashland Firewise Community Coordinator at 541-552-2231.

Junipers are especially combustible!  This drought tolerant ground cover is planted around so many homes in our area the City is requesting they be cleared back 50 feet away from a any structure

Also, the Oregon State University Extension Service has a list of recommended fire-resistant plants which you can obtain from Valley View Nursery, or you can download it here: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/sites/default/files/fire-resistant_planting_wd_2011.pdf

The following is a short list of recommended firewise plants:

Ground Covers:
Kinnikinnick and Creeping Oregon Grape both look good year round and prefer sun or part sun. For shady areas, plant Japanese Pachysandra.

Perennials:
Firewise perennials plants:  Yarrow (note: can spread), Cone flower, Iris, Oriental poppy , Russian sage, Lamb’s ear, and Cranesbill.

Shrubs:
Burning bush, Rockrose, Ferns, Witch Hazel, Heavenly Bamboo, False Holly, Pieris, Potentilla Fruticosa,  Rosa Rugosa, Lilac, Viburnums, Sweetspire and Cotoneaster.

Regina, at Ray’s Nursery, highly recommends the following plants because they are not only fire-resistant, they are very attractive, easy to grow and deer resistant.

Cotoneaster Dammericotoneaster_dammeri_var_radicans
Plant Type: Evergreen, groundcover, shrub
Size: 2ft tall 6ft wide
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Flowers: White
Exposure: Full sun
Attributes: Fall color & red berries, Deer resistant, Attracts Birds, drought tolerant once established.  Grows fast.
USDA Zone: 5-8

Itea Virginica  (Little Henry Sweetspire)ilex Little Henry
Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub
Size: 2 ft High 3ft Wide
Bloom Time: June – July
Flowers: Fragrant white sprays
Exposure: Part to full sun
Attributes:  Attracts butterflies, Bright red fall foliage, Deer resistant, North America Native. Needs moist soil.
USDA Zone: 5-9

Horticultural Report by: Mary Anne Wallace
Article written by: Carlotta Lucas

Firewise: August 2012

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This weekend brings us the first  opportunity of the season for extreme fire danger coupled with the potential for lightning. It is the time of year that wildfires can strike at a moment’s notice, and embers can ignite fires wherever they land. Remember these fire season and Firewise resources until we get that first wetting rain of fall. Remember that firebrands can land up to a MILE ahead of a wildfire. You do not have to live in the forest to be impacted by a wildfire…you just have to live downwind of a fire, and in Ashland, any neighborhood can be impacted by embers.
 
First: Look at your home and the first ten feet around the foundation. Move anything that could burn away from your home. This includes bark mulch, dead leaves (yes, the space under your deck counts!), stacks of lumber, and especially firewood. If it can burn, do not let it touch your house! Use only well watered and maintained fire-resistant plants in this area.
Second: Look Up! Make sure your gutters and roof are clean. This can help protect your home from igniting from embers.
Third: Stay Informed. The Ashland wildfire hotline (541-552-2490), Citizen Alert, and 1700 AM Ashland Emergency Radio are  great resources to know about during a wildfire event. You have to register your cell phone with Citizen Alert if that is how you want to be notified of an emergency. Land lines are already included, but really, are you planning on being at home during a wildfire? You never know, so take the 5 minutes to register your cell phone number! For wildfires outside the Ashland city limits, check out the Oregon Department of Forestry blog swofire.blogspot.com. It is full of updates on local fires.
Fourth: Know Firewise. You may not be planting now, but before you do, check out the host of resources regarding fire-resistant plants and construction materials  available on ashlandfirewise.org. The new OSU Extension Fire-Resistant Privacy Screening publication is available there, as well as other plant lists, Firewise Tips, grant information, and additional resources. Our Facebookpage has some great photos and other tips found nowhere else! Like it to see what’s new!
Fifth: Be careful with fire. Know fire season restrictions that apply to you.
 
The smoky skies outside are a daily reminder that we live in wildfire country. We all share the responsibility for being prepared for a wildfire. Have you done everything you can to be Firewise?
As always, Ashland Fire & Rescue is here to help you with grants, information, and a free wildfire safety home evaluation service to residents of Ashland.
Wishing you a safe summer,
 
Ali True/Firewise Communities Coordinator
City of Ashland / Ashland Fire & Rescue
455 Siskiyou Boulevard  Ashland, OR 97520
541-552-2231

Wildfire: Reducing Risk

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Before summer, homeowners should remove fire hazards and reduce fuel from around their homes. The City of Ashland Oregon is currently helping homeowners with this task by offering grants to city residents to modify and/or remove fire-hazard vegetation near their homes. To participate, residents must first obtain a Wildfire Safety Home Assessment, this assessment includes site-specific recommendations for creating a defensible space around a structure. Read more here: Ashland- Oregon Wildfire News

Planting fire resistant plants around your house may reduce your fire risk during a wildfire, so the OSU Extension Service has provided a list of fire resistant plants for Oregon homeowners. Read OSU’s plant list here: Fire Resistant Plants for Home Landscapes

Below are a few of the plants you will find on their list:

Penstemon
species

Stachys byzantina
Lamb’s Ear

Philadelphus coronarius
Mock Orange

Pachistima myositis
Oregon Boxwood