The following plants are more inflammable and represent a higher fire danger. In some cases, they are actually required to be removed by Berkeley Fire Department if already planted. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather a list of plants often found in our gardens.
Notes
- plants required to be removed by BFD are marked with an asterisk (*).
- Invasive plants are marked with a (inv.).
- The worst of the worst: remove this Dirty Dozen now
Fire-hazardous trees
- Acacia [Acacia spp.] (*)
- Arbor Vitae [Thuja spp. ] (*)
- California Bay Laurel [Umbellularia californica] (inv.)
- Cedar and Cypress (*) [Cupressus spp., Cupressocyparis, Chamaecyparis spp. except dwarf, Cedrus spp., Taxodium spp.]
- Cryptomeria [Cryptomaria japonica] except dwarf
- Eucalyptus [Eucalyptus spp.] (*) (inv.)
- Fir [Abies spp.]
- Hemlock [Tsuga spp.]
- Larch [Larix spp.]
- Pepper Tree [Schinus spp.]
- Pine [Pinus spp.] including Monterey Pine and Dwarf Mugo (*)
- Spruce [Picea spp.]
- Tamarisk [Tamarisk spp.]
- Yew [Taxus spp.]
Fire-hazardous shrubs and perennials
- All Adenostoma including Chamise/Greasewood and Red Shanks [Adenostoma spp.]
- All Artemisia including California/ Coastal Sagebrush [Artemisia spp.]
- Bamboo [Bamboo spp.] (*) (inv.)
- Buckwheat {Eriogonum spp.]
- Bugloss/ Pride of Madeira [Echium candicans] (inv.)
- Black Sage [Salvia Mellifera]
- Breath of Heaven [Coleonema spp.]
- Broom (French, Scottish, Spanish) [Cytisus, Genista, Spartium spp.] (inv.)
- California Scrub Oak [Quercus berberidifolia]
- Chapparal Pea [Pickeringia montana]
- Coyote Brush/ Bush [Baccharis spp.]
- Gorse [Ulex spp.] (inv.)
- Hopseed Bush [Dodonaea viscosa]
- Juniper [Juniperus spp.] (*)
- All Manzanitas unless heavily thinned and very loosely spaced [Manzanita spp.]
- Rosemary [Salvia rosmarinus]
Fire-hazardous grasses and ground covers
- Algerian/ Canary Islands Ivy [Hedera canariensis] (inv.)
- Deer Grasses [Muehlenbergia spp.]
- Fountain Grasses [Pennisetum’setaceum, most Pennisetum spp.]
- Miscanthus Grasses [Miscanthus spp.]
- Pampas & Jubata Grasses [Cortaderia spp.] (inv.)
More resources:
- FireSafe Marin’s fire-hazardous plant list
- Hazardous Plants - Fire Safe San Mateo
This article was developed by HelpBerkeley.org in collaboration with BerkeleyFirewise.org.