FireSmart BC Landscaping Hub
Increase the wildfire resiliency of your property
By making the right strategic choices in your yard, you can make your property more resilient to wildfire. This hub includes an extensive list of fire-resistant plants, tips on how to create a FireSmart landscape, and information on the FireSmart BC Plant Program.
- 01.Overview
- 02.Fire-Resistant Plants
- 03.Landscaping Tips
- 04.Plant Program
- 05.Plant Partner
Get your yard FireSmart
FireSmart Plant Program tags make planting a wildfire-resilient yard easy. Find them at participating garden centres.
FireSmart landscaping tips & insights
There are simple steps you can take to drastically reduce your property’s risk of damage caused by wildfire. FireSmart methods have been proven to reduce the likelihood of losses, even under the most extreme fire conditions.
Your best protection from wildfire is prevention, and one of the best tools available is the FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide.
Keep grass cut below 10 cm
Grass shorter than 10 centimetres is less likely to burn intensely, reducing its ability to ignite structures. Whenever possible, you should also ensure that your lawn is well hydrated, as dry grass has a higher flammability potential.
Be aware of which plants and trees your property contains
Coniferous trees, with cones and needles, are highly flammable and should not be within 10 metres of your home. A few of these are spruce, pine, fir, and cedar. Find out more about FireSmart plants and use them to reduce your risk.
Know your property’s ignition zones
Learn the 4 priority structure ignition zones around your property. Work with your neighbours in any overlapping priority zones! Check out the structure ignition zone poster here.
Find out which fire-resistant plants are best suited for your area
Our fire-resistant plant tool helps British Columbians identify the species that grow best in the specific climate where they live. Finding the right plants lowers the risk of structure damage due to wildfire, and FireSmart selections can also increase sustainability, helping to conserve water and attract pollinators.
Fire-resistant plant of the month
Every month a fire-resistant plant is featured. More than just being fire-resistant, these plants carry cultural significance, and are often traditionally important for food security of the community.
Artwork created by TunkaCikala Peoples, a Sn̓ʕay̓ckstx/Sinixt artist from Arrow Lakes in British Columbia.
Basket-of-Gold
(a.k.a. Aurinia saxatilis)
This charming fire-resistant perennial groundcover looks great in rock gardens and as an edging or border plant. It produces a dazzling display of fragrant, bright yellow flowers in mid to late spring. Once the flowers fade, its small, narrow, grayish-green leaves set it apart from other garden plants.
- May grow from 15-30 cm in height depending on the cultivar
- Good choice for attracting pollinators
- Prefers full sun
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