Heartland 101

Though wildfire season is winding down for 2025, your fall clean up can help reduce your risk in 2026.

Canada's national FireSmart program, founded in 1993, provides resources for communities to become more resilient to wildfire. Applying FireSmart principles to your regular yard work routine helps to reduce your risk to wildland fire. 

Measures taken within 10 metres of your home have the biggest impact. Fire embers may seem small, but should not be underestimated. An estimated 90% of homes damaged or destroyed by wildland fire are ignited by sparks and embers. Regular maintenance and cleaning in the corners and crevices of your home and yard where needles and debris build up can prevent embers from igniting.

Remove any windblown leaves under decks, as well as flammable debris from balconies and patios. Maintain a 1.5 metre non-combustible area around your home and any attachments.

Make debris clean-up in spring and fall part of your yard maintenance. Dry leaves, twigs, and branches are flammable and should be removed from yards and gutters. 

What factors contribute to the vulnerability of your yard? 

• Storing items such as firewood piles, construction materials, patio furniture, tools and decorative pieces against or near a house is a major fire hazard. 
• Combustible landscaping mulch can ignite combustible materials and increase the chance of direct flame spreading to the home. 
• Evergreen trees (with cones and needles) are highly flammable and should not be within 10 metres of your home.

Consider these guidelines when planning yard updates and ongoing property maintenance: 

• Use non-combustible materials such as gravel, brick, or concrete in this critical 1.5 metre area adjacent to your home. Woody shrubs, trees or tree branches should be avoided in this area. 
• Plant only a low density of fire-resistant plants and shrubs within 10 metres of your home. 
• Do not use bark or pine needle mulches within 10 metres of your home as they are highly combustible. Gravel mulch and decorative crushed rock mulch significantly reduce the risk of wildfire. 
• A mowed lawn is a fire-resistant lawn. Grasses shorter than 10 centimetres in height are less likely to burn intensely. 
• Regularly clean up accumulations of fallen branches, dry grass and needles from on the ground to eliminate potential surface fuels. 
• Remove all branches to a height of 2 metres from the ground on evergreen trees within 30 metres of your home
• FireSmart has many resources to assist property owners in efforts to reduce their risk. Check out the Begins-at-Home-Guide-With-Self-Assessment-WEB.pdf