SelecTree - Right Tree Right Place
Tree Selection Starts Here
Trees & shrubs are an important part of the environment and the communities that we live in. Use the health and safety links below to help avoid future conflicts with your valued plantings.
Fire Safety
Tree species and location can influence the fire safety of your home. Although all vegetation can burn, research has shown that some resist fire better than others. Care should be taken to lessen factors that contribute to their flammability and hazard.
Live in a fire risk area? Please
check with your local Fire Council or Fire Department before planting
trees!
SelecTree provides Fire Resistance information as reported in The UC Forest Products Laboratory, Vegetation Guide for Landscaping in High Fire Risk Areas, 1997. Current information on this resource is available at UC Forest Products Laboratory - PreFire Engineering. Fire safety information within SelecTree is as follows for each associated listing*:
Favorable fire performance rating is based on the following
characteristics:
- a low surface area to volume ratio, such as plants with thick, broad leaves as opposed to those with narrow, needle-like leaves.
- a high moisture content, as found in succulents and other plants with fleshy foliage.
- a low percentage of dead matter or debris.
Unfavorable fire performance rating is based on the following
characteristics:
- a high surface area to volume ratio.
- a low moisture content.
- a high percentage of dead matter or debris.
Conflicting fire performance rating is based on being listed
as fire resistant in some references and as fire prone in other references.
* (WARNING! Only 305 trees have this information in SelecTree. Using this category in an attribute search will limit matching trees considerably.) SelecTree Attribute Search - see "Fire Resistance"
Useful links:
Cal Fire
The Fire Safe Council
ecoSmart - Living with Fire
Prepare Your Home
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