Michele_Steinberg

Thanks for the well-written and timely post. Great photos of the Santa Barbara Firescape demo and shout-out to Owen Dell. The national Firewise program recently interviewed him for one of our "How To" newsletters (see link to How To Guides at Firewise You Can Use tab on www.firewise.org).

The only differences in our advice might be the approach. We encourage homeowners to start at the house and work their way out, beginning with a "fuel-free" area 3-5 feet from the home and attachments, and extending out along the zones. The "big idea" is to minimize potential ignition of the structure from the radiant heat of large flames, surface fire touching the structure, and from embers landing on or near the home. In addition to the important landscaping considerations, the home should have fire-resistant features, especially a nonflammable roof. You're correct that Firewise landscaping gives firefighters the chance to save the home. It also could prevent the home igniting at all, which is key during an extreme event where firefighting resources are maxed out.