Removing the fuel by hand can keep the amount at manageable levels. It is very helpful to do this if the area has been in a drought. Clear any debris within 20 to 30 feet of the house. Keep the lawn and groundcover plants cut short during dry weather.
Released July 12, 2010
URBANA, Ill. - Dry summer weather can raise concern about wild fires, but caution should be taken all year, said University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Jeff Rugg.
"The concern for safety in fire-prone areas never goes away, so it's important to be prepared to act in the event of a fire emergency," Rugg said.
Although naturally wooded areas have a scenic value, we need to be careful of what vegetation is near homes and other structures, he noted. Some plants create a fire hazard while they are alive, some only when they are dead, and others create fuel for fires when they drop their dead leaves and branches.
--continued on University of Illinois news
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