The last 10 years has brought unprecedented attention to reducing fire risk of homes in the wildland interface. Stimulated by an infusion of federal funding, many communities in Idaho have organized concerted efforts to reduce these fire risks. Many people have heeded forest fire warnings and removed fuel ladders between their home and landscape and between trees in the surrounding landscape. However, it is a mistake to relax in subsequent years...

Nature abhors a vacuum. Creating more spaces between trees means more light will reach the forest floor. There will also be more moisture and nutrients available for plant growth. All of this means remaining understory plants and trees will grow larger and faster (especially younger trees) and new plants have a more favorable environment to germinate and grow. To maintain a fire-resistive landscape, plants and plant litter must be continually monitored and modified or removed as needed.

Plant litter around structures. Fuels for a fire and other factors closest to the home usually have the greatest influence on whether a home burns down in a forest fire. Pay extra attention to flammable materials that contact the house. Continue keeping the roof, gutters, and foundation of the house cleaned of needles and other debris.

Trees. If trees have just a few branches within 10 feet of each other, prune them back. If adjacent trees have many branches crowding together, it may be time to thin out a few more trees. This will also improve the health of the remaining trees. Cut seedlings periodically as they emerge in the understory.

Grass. A green turf is very fire resistive, so if possible, keep your lawn well-watered through the summer. Longer watering cycles – 1-1.5" of water per week in 1-2 waterings will maintain a healthy sod for most soils. If you cannot keep the grass watered, keep it trimmed low, especially close to the house. At the edge of your landscape, establishing a low-maintenance, low-growing grass, such as sheep fescue or hard fescue (both of which are very competitive) will help reduce new tree or shrub establishment.

Mechanical control. Fuel hazard from shrubs can be reduced by cutting plants off at the base. However, such shrubs frequently re-sprout vigorously from latent buds in the root crown (an adaptation to top removal by fire), especially on stems smaller than 2 inches thick. Repeated trimming is usually necessary to maintain reduced fire risk. Mid-summer is the best time to do this.

Depending on the job, a variety of tools can be used for mechanical control, ranging from loppers and pruning shears on smaller jobs, to chainsaws or clearing saws for multiple stems or stems larger than 1 inch. For smaller diameter stems, brush mowers, brush hogs, or similar devices may be used.

Mulch. Mulch can help suppress understory plants but remember; bark, wood chips, and other organic materials will burn -- keep them away from the base of structures (use rock or other non-flammable material instead). Do not make the mulch deeper than one inch, to avoid interference with root activity and tree health.

Livestock. Sheep or goats may also help suppress brush. Time grazing to late spring or early summer (not early spring) to minimize soil impacts. Later grazing also reduces plants’ ability to regenerate because of drier soils.