Many lessons were learned from the wildfires of 2017. The most important of which is that any fire, with enough fuel and driven by wind can burn through almost anything. It is never possible to protect your property 100% but there are things you can do with your landscaping to provide your family a fighting chance.

The best defense begins with defensible space. Landscaping within the first 30′ of your home is critical. Planting low growing vegetation (waist high or lower), keeping trees pruned, and using automatic irrigation systems can do a lot to protect your home from wildfires

Illustration courtesy of
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF)

Get in the Zone

Zone 1 is what firefighting professionals call the first 30′ from your home. This is the most critical area around your home and your last line of defense. It does not have to be a no-man’s-land. Incorporating hardscape features into your landscaping plan like patios, meandering stone paths and low masonry walls can be used to form fuel breaks near your home. Plants are welcome here but need to be widely spaced in beds or containers and regularly irrigated. Water efficient automatic drip irrigation systems can protect your home by keeping your landscaping green in the dry season.

Maintenance within Zone 1 is key. Keeping the fuel load low is the goal and you can do it yourself for free. Rake up leaves during the Summer and Fall and put them in your green trash can. Avoid using chipped mulch in this zone as it can harbor embers and ignite unexpectedly even after a wildfire has passed by. If you have trees in this zone, always prune the low branches to maintain a gap of several feet between the ground vegetation and the lowest branches. Tree branches that overhang the roof of your home should always be pruned back. Don’t forget to remove the leaves from your roof and gutters in the Summer and Fall. Dried leaves are often the first thing to catch fire.

Properties in more urban neighborhoods can benefit from fire resistant fences. Using thicker lumber (1-1/2” or more) or incorporating stone, masonry or metal into your fence design can be both an architectural statement and a shield against a fire. Design fire resistant fences with minimal gaps. Gaps can provide a place for airborne embers to get trapped and smolder. FEMA has published a fact sheet on the design of fire-resistant fences which is available online at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1652-20490-2634/fema_p_737_fs_14.pdf

Regardless of the kind of fence you have, always avoid stacking flammable material like firewood or lumber against it. A good rule of thumb is to never store flammable material like firewood and lumber anywhere in Zone 1. If you like desert flora, consider planting a cactus garden. Succulents are naturally full of water, require little maintenance and naturally resist catching fire.

Beyond Zone 1 is Zone 2, which extends another 70′ from your home (for a total of 100′ defensible space). This is where careful pruning, wide plant spacing and mowing dry grass serve to reduce the intensity of the flames before they get to your home. Planting fire-resistant plants like California Fuchsia, sage, and California Redbud not only resist catching fire but are also drought tolerant so less water is needed to keep them green. A useful list of fire-resistant plants is available online from Fire Safe Marin at http://www.firesafemarin.org/plants/fire-resistant. Maintenance is key in Zone 2 too, if you cannot easily walk through this zone, then it is overgrown and needs to be pruned and/or mowed.

In all zones, avoid planting “fire adapted” plants. These are plants that have adapted themselves to burn periodically and actually encourage wildfires. Plants that drop lots of leaves have flakey bark or resinous stems are considered “fire adapted”. Eucalyptus trees, coyote bush (baccharis) and manzanita trees (manzanita shrubs can be OK if kept low) are examples of the plants you want to keep far from your home. The California Department of Forestry has published some interesting information regarding “fire adapted” ecosystems which is available online at http://www.calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/live_w_fire.pdf.

Not everyone can do everything. Just remember that if all you do is prune your trees, clean your gutters and rake your leaves you have already come a long way to having a defensible space.

The Wildlands

Those who live next to open undeveloped land get to enjoy some amazing views and a closeness to nature. This wildland-urban interface (WUI) also carries extra responsibility for fire protection. Wildland has few roads, is difficult to access and is rarely managed. Wildland has more vegetation than urban land and in the summer months, it can easily burn. Many plants in our area rely on fire to reproduce and have adapted themselves to occasional wildfires. As our homes and neighborhoods have crept into these natural areas we have exposed ourselves to an environment that is meant to burn. If your home is along the WUI then careful landscape management is critical. Heavy brush, closely growing trees, and low branches can easily catch fire and burn intensely. Even the 100′ defensible space required by State Law might not be enough. If your home borders wildland it is critical that you maintain the land around your home to be fire safe. Prune tree branches that are low to the ground, keep shrubs widely spaced and low (waist high or lower) and mow, mow, mow tall grass as soon as it turns brown.

What Saved This House – Photo courtesy of CDF

Flirt with Firefighters

Firefighters are attracted to defensible space and if you attract enough of them, they might bring their fire truck. When firefighters respond to wildland fires they need defensible areas to set up and fight the fire. If your home has a defensible area and access to water (nearby fire hydrant or a pool) firefighters can use your home as a staging area. For those who live on the WUI, this is the best defense against wildfire for which you can hope. If you have a pool, consider installing a portable pump that firefighters can use. If you have space, include wide driveways and large turnaround spaces in your landscaping design. Many local fire departments offer free fire safety evaluations and will provide guidance on how to make your property firefighter friendly and wildfire-resistant.

More Information:

CalFire – “Wildfire is Coming… Are You Ready” http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Fire-Safe-Landscaping/

CalFire – “Living with Fire” http://www.calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/live_w_fire.pdf

Fire Safe Marin – “Fire Resistant Plants” http://www.firesafemarin.org/plants/fire-resistant

FEMA – “Landscape Fences and Walls” https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1652-20490-2634/fema_p_737_fs_14.pdf

This article was authored by Eric Janzen of the City of Cloverdale, on behalf of RRWA. RRWA (www.rrwatershed.org) is an association of local public agencies in the Russian River Watershed that have come together to coordinate regional programs for clean water, habitat restoration, and watershed enhancement.

Electronic waste has become the fastest growing waste stream in the WORLD.

When discarded, the toxicity of electronic waste functions as an eroding agent on clean water, healthy soil, and fresh air. The impacts of improperly disposed e-waste are measurable, harmful, and applicable on a global scale. The general cause and consequence of its mismanagement seem to be shared equally among manufacturers and consumers alike. One cause being the fact that most electronic devices experience a life cycle that overturns as rapid as advancing technology will allow it to be. Another cause is the fact that these devices can be inconvenient to dispose of properly due to limited drop-off locations and/or expensive disposal fees. The consequence is a growing stockpile of obsoletes that can leach toxic discharges into places like our drinking water supply.

The cradle‑to-grave stewardship of our electronic dinosaurs is disappointing.

How you can help:

• Hold on to electronics longer to reduce demand.
• Donate items that can be refurbished or reused, otherwise recycle.
• Form an outreach campaign and/or organization to increase awareness in your neighborhood.

The rate at which technology refreshes has become so advanced that many consumer electronics sold in the US are rendered outdated within a year. Annual sales in the US are over 200 billion dollars and growing. As one would reasonably correlate, the annual production of e-waste is growing in near magnitude. Cradle stages are brief, characterized by a consumer electronics industry spending nearly 4 billion dollars a year in advertising. By repeatedly soliciting to us the concept that newer is necessary, we have become conditioned to anticipate the release date of the model 5001 while the model 5000 in our pocket is still under warranty. Overnight our gadgets become a dinosaur; functionally extinct and thrust into the grave stage.

Disappointingly, the grave stage is even more brief. As it stands today, our electronic relics are seldom tossed away with the ecological dignity that recycling or reusing would provide. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 3 BILLION tons of electronics are disposed of each year, and only 25 percent are recycled. The vast remaining become deposited into landfills where they begin to leach into the water, soil, and air. Any hazardous qualities contained within them such as arsenic, chromium, lead, and mercury are unrestricted in their travels. Roughly half of the states in the US have enacted e-waste legislation, and the options available for proper disposal are improving but are still very limited and oftentimes expensive. In most places, batteries and cell phones can be taken back at no charge to their place of purchase. Free take-back events and curbside pick-ups are available at certain times of the year.

If you suspect that what you’re about to throw into the trash may contain an electronic component, just set it aside for a moment. Contact your City or trash service provider for guidance. Look online for drop-off locations (www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Electronics/Collection or www.Call2recycle.org) and special take-back events in your area. The moment that we define our electronic device to be electronic waste, is the same moment we become stewards of our vitality.

This article was authored by Nick Bennett, of the City of Rohnert Park, on behalf of RRWA. RRWA (www.rrwatershed.org) is an association of local public agencies in the Russian River Watershed that have come together to coordinate regional programs for clean water, habitat restoration, and watershed enhancement.

The sound of the street sweeper is music to my ears. As the street sweeper drives down the street the sound of the street sweeper vacuum unit reminds me that the sweeper is our first line of defense in preventing debris from entering the storm drain system.  By keeping debris out of our storm drain system, the street sweeper is doing its part to prevent debris from entering our creeks and rivers.

What does a street sweeper collect?

The street sweeper collects all loose material from our streets and gutters. This material may include trash, leaves, dust, nails and screws, oils, particles from brake pads and brake shoes, and debris from worn out asphalt pavement. The street sweeper is also used to collect and remove broken glass and other debris from traffic accidents. In addition, the street sweeper may be used to collect material left behind after a spill. Without a street sweeper, this unwanted material might eventually find its way into the storm drain system and ultimately end up in the receiving creek or river.  In Ukiah alone, the street sweeper collects and disposes of approximately 800 tons of debris on a yearly basis!

How does a street sweeper operate?

The street sweeper is basically a motorized vacuum cleaner. A separate engine powers the gutter brooms which rotate and pull debris from the curb and pavement for easy removal by the vacuum unit. This separate engine powers the high-power vacuum unit pulling the loose debris from the streets. As the sweeping and vacuuming process takes place, water is applied to keep dust from street sweeping at a minimum level.  Occasionally a tree branch will become lodged in the vacuum unit and cause a trail of debris to follow the street sweeper. Upon noticing this, the operator will stop and clear the tree branch from the unit.

What can you do?

As a citizen and good neighbor, it is important for all to do our part. You can help by moving your vehicle(s) from the street before street sweeping day. Please contact your local Department of Public Works to learn the schedule for street sweeping in your neighborhood. Also, do not sweep leaves or place lawn cuttings or other debris onto the street. In Ukiah, as in most jurisdictions, ordinances prohibit depositing debris on the sidewalk, in the gutter, or on the street. Please use your green bin for all leaves and yard waste. If you observe broken glass or other debris on the street, please notify your Department of Public Works.  If you are driving, use caution when overtaking a street sweeper on its route.

Please remember the street sweeper is your friend. It is doing its part to keep our streets clean and tidy and to prevent unwanted debris from entering our creeks and waterways.

This article was authored by Rick Seanor of the City of Ukiah on behalf of RRWA. RRWA (www.rrwatershed.org) is an association of local public agencies in the Russian River Watershed that have come together to coordinate regional programs for clean water, habitat restoration, and watershed enhancement.

The days are long and warm, but many of us are anything but lazy. We are in our yards tackling our outdoor “honey-do” lists. We are refinishing our decks, painting our homes, and taming our yards. After painting the house, sanding the deck, or trimming back the landscaping it would be convenient to sweep or pour the mess into the storm drain (or gutter). The problem is that everything that enters the storm drain eventually flows into our creeks untreated. Some of the material may sit in the storm drain for a while during the summer, but when the rains come again in the fall, it will all be carried into our creeks. Our creeks are what so much wildlife calls home, and our creeks drain into the Laguna de Santa Rosa and the Russian River. Pollutants and debris from our home improvement projects can harm the fish, birds and other life that live in our creeks.

Here are some ways you can protect the water quality of our creeks while checking items off your home improvement to-do list.

Painting
Never rinse your paintbrushes under an outdoor spigot. Rinse your used paintbrushes in a sink plumbed to sewer, not outdoors. When you rinse your paintbrushes in a sink, the rinse water will be directed to the wastewater treatment plant, rather than a nearby creek. If you have any leftover paint to discard, please take it to a paint recycling location. You can find a list of paint recycling centers by visiting the following website: http://recyclenow.org/toxics/paint.asp

Power Washing
Even biodegradable soap can be harmful to aquatic life. Use water without soap whenever possible as you power wash. Plain water ejected at high pressure is usually enough to clean surfaces. If you do use soap, be sure to direct rinse water to landscaping if possible. If the rinse water is going directly into the storm drain system, please cover the storm drain inlet, trap the rinse water, and pump it into a sewer inlet. Discharging hot water into the creeks can actually kill aquatic life, so use cool water straight from the outdoor tap.

Swimming Pools
Swimming pool and spa water contain chlorine, and chlorine harms fish and other aquatic life. If you need to empty your swimming pool or spa, drain it slowly onto a landscaped area, if possible. Otherwise, drain it into a sewer cleanout. Please plan ahead and discontinue adding chlorine, but let your pool or spa sit for at least three days without adding chlorine before discharging it so that the chlorine will dissipate. If you cannot wait two weeks to discharge, please dechlorinate the water before discharging. You can call your local public works department for information about the requirements for dechlorination and discharge of pool and spa water to your sewer.

Yard Waste
For those of us living next to a creek, it is so convenient to dump our yard waste over the back fence! It seems reasonable; yard waste is natural. Unfortunately, piles of yard waste dumped into our creeks can cause flooding and smother the existing natural vegetation. Another mistake many residents make is sweeping their yard waste into the storm drain inlet. By clogging the storm drains with yard waste, we cause flooding. Most communities in Sonoma County have green waste curbside pick-up. Even if you live next to a creek, please use those green yard waste bins.

Pesticides
Pesticides kill. Well, they do. The purpose of pesticide (which includes insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides) is to kill a targeted pest. Unfortunately, pesticides can also kill beneficial insects and aquatic life. Please consider alternatives to applying pesticides in your yard. There are many alternatives to pesticide use. Visit the Our Water Our World website for more information on pesticide-free pest management:  http://ourwaterourworld.org/.  If you must use pesticides, then please apply them sparingly and never apply them within 24 hours of forecasted rain.

For more information on how to protect our creeks while fixing up your home, click on the following link: http://srcity.org/1232/Pollution-Prevention

This article was authored by Cristina Goulart of the Town of Windsor for RRWA. RRWA (www.rrwatershed.org) is an association of local public agencies in the Russian River Watershed that have come together to coordinate regional programs for clean water, habitat restoration, and watershed enhancement.