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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 2017)
22 Wednesday, July 19, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Fight fires with appropriate landscaping By Kym Pokorny Correspondent CORVALLIS – Drawing a line around the house with fire-resistant landscapes can mean the difference between a home consumed by flames and one left standing. “Fire specialists often show pictures of houses where people took adequate precau- tions,” said Brad Withrow- Robinson, forester with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. “I’ve seen lots of photos of land charred all around and a house left standing in the middle because the owners created a fire-resistant space next to it. Not always, but often.” It’s fire season again, and people who live in rural areas or on rural-urban boundaries throughout the state need to exercise caution. People should create and maintain “defensible space” around their homes. Among other things, these areas should be free from brush, debris and firewood, have irrigated zones near the house and use fire-resistant plants. “No plant is fire-proof,” said Brooke Edmunds, a horticulturist with OSU’s Extension Service, “but some are considered fire resistant.” In general, these are plants with more supple leaves with- out a waxy or resinous sur- face. Such plants don’t read- ily ignite. They may be dam- aged or even killed by fire, but their foliage and stems don’t significantly contrib- ute to a fire’s intensity, said Amy Jo Detweiler, an OSU Extension horticulturist. In essence, they can create a living wall that reduces and blocks intense heat. However, she stressed that fire-resistant plants will burn if not watered and pruned properly. Some plants to consider include: Carnation (Dianthus): An evergreen ground cover that grows to about 6 to 9 inches tall and 15 inches wide, has pink flowers that appear in June and July and is hardy in Zones 3-9. It takes partial to full sun, attracts birds and butterflies and grows well in rock gardens. Tickseed (Coreopsis): A perennial with yellow, orange, maroon or red flow- ers that bloom from March through November if kept deadheaded. The blossoms entice butterflies and the seeds are attractive to birds. Grow in part to full sun in well-drained soil. Hardy in Zones 3-9. Delphinium: A perennial that prefers well-drained soil and grows upright to 2 feet and gets 18 to 36 inches wide. The blue, pink, purple or white flowers bloom in March and April. Delphiniums take partial to full sun and need well-drained soil. Hardy in Zones 5-9. Daphne (D. x burk- woodii): A 3- to 5-foot, semi- evergreen shrub with highly fragrant white to pink flowers that bloom in May and June and attract butterflies. This plant needs partial shade and well-drained soil with a neu- tral pH. Hardy in Zones 4-8. Black oak (Quercus velu- tina): A deciduous tree with a spreading crown and good fall color. Grows 50 to 60 feet tall and wide. The diminutive flowers in March through May appeal to birds and but- terflies. Acorns attract wild- life. Grows in full sun and is drought tolerant. Hardy in Zones 3-9. No plant is fire-proof, but some are considered fire resistant. — Brooke Edmunds More information is avail- able in the 48-page guide, Fire-resistant Plants for Home Landscape, written by Detweiler and Stephen Fitzgerald, an Extension for- ester, and produced in col- laboration with Washington State University and Idaho State University. It highlights plants appropriate for all areas of the Northwest. In addition to planting fire-resistant plants, Edmunds recommends the following precautions: • Move plants, especially flammable ones, away from the house. • Clean up dead brush and debris and move firewood away from buildings. • Trim trees and shrubs to keep them 10 feet apart. • Use non-flammable mulch such as rocks near structures. • Have irrigated zones around the home’s perimeter. • Remove debris from roofs and gutters. • Remove lawn close to the house or keep it closely cropped and watered. • Keep potted plants well irrigated. Sarah Conroy, Chiropractor Est. 2002 st Si ers Owned Prevent • Heal • Feel Better Believe in better. Believe you deserve it. THIS summer. Come in for our combo therapy, chiropractic and massage. Call 541-588-2213 392 E. Main Ave. | www.sisterschiropractor.com Shena Fields LMT#7439 | Harmony Tracy LMT# 21211 “I was just going in for 10 minutes.” But then the check-out line was so long. Even with the windows partly down, the heat can rise from 80º outside to 102º inside the car in a short time.* Parked cars are deathtraps for dogs: On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Animals can sustain brain damage or even die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes.* FURRY FRIEND S 501 ( c )( 3 ) FOUNDATION www.furryfriendsfoundation.org t ’ n o d s d n e Fri friends in leave ked cars! par *www.peta.org
