Landscaping your surf coast garden for Bushfire - Surf Coast Shire

Action 6:
Plant and maintain non-connecting
clusters of vegetation
Fuel continuity makes it easy for fire to spread across your
property up to the house and to neighbouring properties. By
separating plants, garden beds and tree canopies however,
you effectively break up fuel continuity and reduce or prevent
the path of fuel to the house.
Use the concept of non-connecting clusters of vegetation as
the basis for designing and building your garden to reduce
bushfire risk. This includes:
• arranging plants and garden beds into defined areas
separated by no or low fuel features (e.g. paths, lawns,
pavers, walls)
• ensuring shrubs and other flammable materials are
located away from trees to reduce the ‘ladder’ fuel
effect, and
• preventing a continuous canopy by creating discrete
clusters of shrubs and trees separated by no/low fuel
areas.
Fire spreads easily
when plants are located
close together with
the availability of a
continuous fuel path
making it easier for fire
to destroy your home
through direct flame
contact and radiant heat.
Designing your Surf Coast Garden to Reduce Bushfire Risk
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