Success Stories
Reducing Wildfire Worries
In 1998, fires in Florida destroyed 300 homes and devastated 500,000 acres. While the fires raged, several major highways had to be closed, and major events, like the summer NASCAR race in Daytona, had to be rescheduled.
Fires happen naturally in Florida and are especially difficult in times of drought--but humans can make fires worse than they normally would be. One practice that complicates firefighters' jobs is the presence of shrubs close to homes in fire-prone areas. Dense shrubs in yards surrounding homes and close to structures can contribute to the spread of fire and risk of homes burning. But through simple acts of maintenance and plant selection, residents can protect their property and lives from most wildfires.
Alachua County Fire Chief Will May, who has 30 years of experience fighting fire, has teamed up with the USDA Forest Service and Alan Long, professor in UF's School of Forest Resources and Conservation, to develop the Florida Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Program. This public outreach program emphasizes "firewise" landscaping practices to help homeowners prepare for wildfires. In preparing these guidelines, UF researchers studied homes and communities damaged by wildfires to better understand why some homes burned and others didn't.
Using many of the materials located on the Forest Service's Interface South Web site, Long and May teach homeowners to maintain their yards, choose fitting plants for their landscapes, and identify plants that could be dangerous to have near a home. For example, palmettos and wax myrtle can burn fast and hot, and present special risks when they are planted close to homes. Other recommendations include creating defensible space, which provides vertical and horizontal gaps between landscape plants and homes located in fire-prone neighborhoods.
The Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Program is helping to keep lives and property safe from Florida fires. Find out more about the Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Program on the Interface South Web site.
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