blooming flowers climber in tree to prune beneficial mushrooms close up of lady bug on leaf japanese maple being pruned

Have you fireproofed your yard?

If your home is in a heavily treed area or if you live near or adjacent to a wooded area, here is information from the Portland Fire Bureau and some others with regard to vegetation preparation:

 Keep 30 feet between your home and wild vegetation

 Remove any dry deadwood from trees

 Keep your yard well-watered

 Trim trees to provide at least 10 feet clearance from homes

 Trim tree limbs at least 6 feet (some fire experts recommend 15 feet) from the ground to prevent ground fires from getting into treetops

 Keep your property free of accumulated combustibles such as dried vegetation, cuttings and wood piles

 Mow lawns and fields regularly

 Near homes, plant fire resistant species such as western rhododendron, red alder, grand fir, western flowering dogwood and red currant