Two Good Firescape Guides
Here are two good resources if you want to do more research on firesafe landscapes.
Book:
By Douglas Kent
This book describes what types of properties and landscapes are higher-risk, how to make a home more accessible to fire-fighters, and what to do to minimize the chances that a home will be damaged or destroyed by a wildfire. It covers fire-safe fencing and roofing materials, has tips on using water efficiently, gives best methods of effective vegetation removal, and provides versatile and comprehensive plant lists and maintenance calendars useful for those living in California’s diverse climate zones.
Web Page:
City of Santa Barbara high fire zone landscape guidelines
These are the minimum requirements Landscape Architects have to meet when we are designing a landscape in a high-fire risk area in order to get approval from the city. Important factors include: plant selection, spacing, and buffer zones. We are also required to specify a very general maintenance program for the landscape. However, the Landscape Architect is rarely involved with the maintenance of projects in perpetuity, so it is important for homeowners to be familiar with maintenance guidelines, and meet or exceed the guidelines in this document.