 For thousands of years, we have enjoyed beautifying our surroundings. From the earliest recorded gardens of the Egyptians in 3000 BC to today's landscaping, the principles of unity, balance, proportion and variety remain as the basic design tools of landscape architects, designers and nursery professionals. The best examples are signs that accomplish the central objective of landscaping, to bring the building and its surroundings into harmony. But achieving harmony in some aspects can result in conflict in others. When wildfires occur, homes in the landscape interact with natural forces, and the results are often devastating. Though the vast and varied beauty of our country offers endless landscaping opportunities, no region is safe from wildland fire. A special concern of the area is where dwellings abut forests, often referred to as the wildland urban interface. Often thought to be a problem in only western states, major wildland fires have occurred all across the United States. In 1985, 400 homes were lost in Florida in a matter of hours. In 1987, more than 2,400 fires spread over the rich forest lands in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. In 1988, natural fires destroyed individual homes and threatened small towns on the edges of Yellowstone National Park. In 1991, the worst interface fire in recent U.S. history literally incinerated over 3,000 homes in Oakland, California in only a few hours. Forest fires, house fires. More and more the two are inseparable, and the potential exists all over the country during wildfire season. In this program, we'll explore several factors that make wildland urban interface fire so destructive, including seasonal effects, natural forces, and people. We'll look at fire growth and behavior, and how they are affected by arrangement and type of fuels, the terrain, wind, and finally, we'll have a brief look at landscape principles from site evaluation and plant selection to placement and maintenance, all of which can help protect a home from an advancing wildfire. In a typical year, wildfires begin in the southeastern states in spring. Dry winters the previous year caused grasses and trees to become combustible, and wildfires occur in the northeast and the southwestern states. The changing jet stream continues to warm the continent, and the westernmost states experience numerous wildland fires in the mid to late summer. Finally, the annual wildfire season ends as fall drying increases the frequency of wildfires in the northeast, southeast, and southwest. Wildfire is nature's way of clearing dead materials from the forest, enriching the soil, and preparing the earth for new growth. Following the Yellowstone fires, grasses and plants not seen in the park for generations reappeared, given new life by sunlight falling once again through forest canopies, warming newly enriched soil. The wildfire problem, though, is not limited to nature. As people move into areas where wildfires have occurred for centuries, they add fuels that can accelerate the spread of fire. Whether simple cabins, mobile homes, or large expensive developments, all are constructed in the wakes of past fires and in the path of future fires. When firefighters are called to fires in these areas, their limited resources force the choice between attacking the fire or defending the home. Homeowners in or near wildland areas must assume some responsibility for protecting their property. But even with widespread media coverage that accompanies major fires, many remain unaware of how wildfires behave or the preventive actions they can take to defend themselves and their homes. Fire in any environment follows a path controlled by the amount and type of fuel, the contours of the terrain, and wind, its velocity and direction. Fire needs fuel, something to burn, like grass, trees, or the homes nestled among them. To an interface fire, homes and other structures become merely fuel. Fire start and burn rapidly in light fuels, like grass, which in turn provides a path to trees. Once at the base of a tree, fire can move into low branches and climb to the top or crown. This arrangement, known as ladder fuels, is one of the more significant ways wildfires gain strength and power. The slope of the terrain is also a major factor in a wildfire spread and intensity. The flame on a match lingers and eventually dies as long as the fuel remains level. But if a match is held at an angle, the fire burns hotter and faster as it climbs. This is the way wildfire spreads. The fire heats and dries fuels above it, causing them to burn. Many homes have been lost because they were located in the upward path of a fire. Wind is also a major factor. Fires need air to continue burning, and large fires need a lot of air. Wind can cause wildfires to grow quickly, to die down, to change direction, or even to move downhill as fast as they do uphill. Burning leaves can be deposited on and around structures. These spot fires can grow, and their combined heat can cause a structure to burn well in advance of the wildfire. Similarly, a house fire can release embers which spread to other homes and trees. But a home's chances of survival can be improved through the careful planning and design of the structure and the area around it. This area is often referred to as defensible space, and it is here that landscape professionals create both visual harmony and fire safety, using appropriate landscape design principles. Evaluating a property for the initial design depends, of course, on the structure, the terrain, and soil types. Site evaluation is also affected by other factors, including existing structures, lot configuration, and natural vegetation. Experience has shown that landscape design is one of the most important factors in a home's survival. When beginning the design process, consider the following fire safety issues. The location of the home on the lot contributes to its safety from wildfire. Located on a steep slope, this home is in danger from wildfire climbing the slope, and the chances of igniting the structure are increased drastically. The goal, then, is to develop a landscape whose design and choice of plants offer the best fire protection. The selection of plants and mulches, the placement and construction of patios and decks, and areas such as driveways and walks provide opportunities both to enhance the property and to provide an added degree of fire protection. Many techniques and ideas will help address the issues of fire-wise planning, but none can guarantee complete safety. A good fire-wise landscape is dependent on other factors, such as the condition and maintenance of the neighboring property. Fire does not respect boundary lines. An ideal strategy would be to surround the house with things that simply will not burn, but nothing is fire-proof. Consider these basic guidelines for designing fire safety into landscape designs. Reduce or eliminate highly flammable plants, especially those that overhang chimneys and roofs, and clear away dead brush and wood regularly. Eliminate ladder fuels, which enable a fire to climb into low-hanging branches of trees and then to the home. Pruning tree branches 6 to 10 feet helps reduce the ladder effect. Driveways, open expanses of lawn, and walkways can interrupt a fire's path. The analyses of wildland urban interface fires shows that as the distance of dense flammable vegetation from a house increases, so do its chances of survival. A well-maintained lawn or ground cover provides an effective and attractive defensible space by keeping fire a safe distance from the house. It also provides firefighters an area to locate equipment and hoses to further protect the structure. Trees should be carefully spaced to reduce the density of vegetation. The removal of flammable debris interrupts the fire's path. Some designs use mulch, such as pine needles, as natural walkways. A more fire-conscious selection is the use of rock for walkways instead of the more traditional and flammable mulch. These guidelines provide only a framework for creating fire-safe landscapes. Remember, fire safety doesn't mean stripping away everything from around the home. Although dead leaves can allow fire to spread, removing all leaf litter depletes the soil of nutrients. And though pruning is a sound way to eliminate litter fuels, improper pruning damages plants and trees and disrupts the environmental balance of the property. Landscapes that are easy for homeowners to maintain are more desirable than highly complex arrangements that are neglected. Over time, plants grow and spread. Mulches dry out. Leaves and pine needles accumulate. All contribute to the fuels from which a fire grows. Proper maintenance improves appearance and helps protect the structure from wildfire. For centuries, the solitude and peace of nearby wildlands has lured many away from the confinements and pressures of urban life. We should encourage those who live there to be wise about the landscape. Indeed, fire-wise.