Most business owners don’t give their landscaping a second thought beyond the aesthetic aspects of the design. In fact they don’t understand how they can actually protect their buildings and other assets by being more deliberate about the landscaping and trees surrounding their location.
Especially in Oregon, which recently suffered enormous wildfires with loss of life and property, strategic landscaping can really be used as more of a defense against future damage. So, what are some things business owners can take into account when designing their landscaping or maintaining the grounds of their business? Read on to see a few helpful suggestions.
Select the Right Type of Plants
Researching or requesting fire-resistant plants can go a long way in helping deter the spread of fire near your premises. Being thoughtful about placing these type of plants nearest to any buildings will help them act as a buffer to any approaching fire.
Some examples of fire resistant plants are ice plant. These hardy plants act as great ground cover, help prevent erosion and are naturally fire resistant. The trick is to make sure they are watered on a regular basis to ensure they don’t die or dry out-defeating the whole purpose of using them in your landscaping as part of your fire prevention efforts.
Another type of plant that is fire resistant are deciduous trees and plants. These are trees that lose their foliage in the fall and can be planted in moderate climates such as Oregon. Some examples of deciduous trees are maple, elm, oak and birch among others.
Stick to a Regular Maintenance Schedule
Making sure all of the trees are trimmed and making sure there is no dry overgrowth on your business property is key in helping to prevent damage from fires. A tree filled with dry branches or dead leaves is a recipe for disaster. Even if a fire is not on your property, embers from the flames can travel across a distance, land on the dry leaves on an untrimmed tree and instantly go up in flames. This helps the fire move at a rapid pace and get closer to your business and buildings. The same can happen to any plants that are overgrown or dried out due to underwatering.
Part of the maintenance process for trees is to keep them trimmed on a regular schedule. Albany Landscaping Pros, a company in Albany, Oregon usually recommends that trees are planted away from buildings to ensure that, as they grow, they don’t become a hazard. One of the major things to keep an eye out for is making sure branches are not hanging over the roof of the building and that any leaves or hanging branches are not making contact with the roof.
This is a good guideline to follow for a variety of reasons. In terms of fire safety, overhanging branches can quickly spread flames onto the roof of the building, causing the fire to spread quickly and engulf the building. Not only this but overhanging branches can also pose a risk of falling onto the roof and causing significant damage. This is why proper tree care and regular tree trimming are a necessary investment for businesses.
It can be a great investment to sit down with your landscaping company and strategically plan how to make your property as fire safe as possible.