# Fire hazardous plants: avoid using these dangerous plants

**URL:** <https://www.berkeleyfirewise.org/t/fire-hazardous-plants-avoid-using-these-dangerous-plants/491>\
**Category:** Firescape your yard\
**Created:** [November 23, 2025, 8:00am UTC](https://www.berkeleyfirewise.org/t/fire-hazardous-plants-avoid-using-these-dangerous-plants/491 "2025-11-23T08:00:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MichelThouati](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/www.berkeleyfirewise.org/michelthouati/32/179_2.png) [@MichelThouati](https://www.berkeleyfirewise.org/u/MichelThouati)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2025, 8:00am UTC](https://www.berkeleyfirewise.org/t/fire-hazardous-plants-avoid-using-these-dangerous-plants/491/1 "2025-11-23T08:00:00Z")

</div>

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](https://www.berkeleyfirewise.org/t/fire-hazardous-plants-remove-this-dirty-dozen/490)

**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](https://firesafemarin.org/create-a-fire-smart-yard/plants/fire-hazardous-plants/)
- [Hazardous Plants - Fire Safe San Mateo](https://www.firesafesanmateo.org/preparedness/defensible-space/fire-prone-pyrophytic-plants)

_This article was developed by [HelpBerkeley.org](http://HelpBerkeley.org) in collaboration with [BerkeleyFirewise.org](http://BerkeleyFirewise.org)._