I am a brushclearance provider in SoCal, and I am trying to work with the county authorities on creating codes that protect and honor the natives specimens in the firebreak.  I have learned that very few CA natives are actually fire prone, but as the forrest ages the deadfall accumulates creating a burnable forrest.  I am only talking about shrubland, not timber forests.

Unfortunately most inspectors want everything cut out and hauled away down to bare soil in the firebreak.  This is apparently scientifically contra-indicated.  The better approach is to cut out the deadfall and leave the live specimens standing, except for chamise.   The advantages of a specimen rich firebreak are as follows:

  1.Install is less expensive
  2.Less maintenance
  3.Less exotic and alien species invasion
  4.Better erosion control
  5.Better aesthetics
  6.Less fine fuel (weedy) growth which are the "flashy" fuels
  7.More biodiversity
  8.More robust and effective firebreak
  9.No landfill impact
 10.No truck traffic
 11.Less open soil means less particulate (dust) pollution
 12.Less noise
 13.Better cover for birds and game animals
 14.Contrary to popular opinions, CA native shrubs do not survive multiple cuts (except for laurel sumac)

So, if any of you have info that supports a specimen rich firebreak as being firesafe, I would be very appreciative.  This approach has never really been embraced by fire authorities due to lack of education, and I would like to try and change that tactic.

Specific info useful to me would be

  1.Flammability of live fuel components
  2.Survivability or persistence of shrubs under stress
  3.Overall chaparral info on number of acres impacted by firebreaks, percentage of chaparral remaining, etc.
  4.Anything else that might help.

Further thoughts:
Fire & Ecology in Chaparral
Trees & Fire: Why Fire Safe Landscaping Doesn't Have to be a Barren Moonscape
Crown Fires -with further links to articles & pictures
A spectacular forest fire in Montana
*****Jon E. Keely Fire & Invasives