Researchers Max Moritz and Luca Carmignani have penned an article raising concerns about a California plan to ban plants within 5 feet of homes for wildfire safety. “As scientists who study how vegetation ignites and burns, we recognize that well-maintained plants and trees can actually help protect homes from wind-blown embers and slow the spread of fire in some cases.”
When living plant material is heated by fire, the scientists write, “the moisture inside it must be driven off before it can ignite. That evaporation cools the surrounding area and lowers the plant’s flammability. In many cases, high moisture can actually keep a plant from igniting.”
The authors acknowledge the importance of implementing home-hardening strategies “to protect houses, particularly from wind-blown embers,” but “green, well-maintained plants can slow the spread of a fire by serving as ‘heat sinks,’ absorbing energy and even blocking embers.”
Photo: Some trees and other vegetation appear untouched in the aftermath of a recent fire that destroyed multiple homes and businesses in Altadena, California.
