The key to erosion control is adequate planting to hold soil in place.However, planting can also increase fire hazards during warm weather. To reduce future fire hazards and still provide effective erosion control:
| CLEAR | native brush within 30 feet of buildings and limit brush height to 18 inches within 70 feet of buildings (see Fig. 24). A limited number of specimen shrubs and trees can be allowed within 30 feet of a building (refer to your local fire codes for local requirements). |
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| ELIMINATE | or reduce chaparral-type plants that serve as fuel for fires and control their regrowth (see Figs. 23 and 24). |
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| KEEP | landscape clean. Remove litter under trees and shrubs and prune out dead growth. Remove dead and dry portions of ground cover and succulents. Leave space (15 to 20 feet) between remaining shrubs and trees to curtail the spread of fire. |
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| USE | planting techniques similar to landscaping in newly developed areas for recently burned watersheds. |
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| MINIMIZE | erosion with quick growing, fire-retardant ground cover planted with burlap mat, straw mulch, or chemical nutrients throughout areas to be protected. |
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| AVOID | using ice plant on slopes because it tends to "drag" surface soils down when saturated. |
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| SELECT | only fire-retardant ornamentals. |
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| PLANT | fire-retardant shrubs or trees where ground cover or grass ends. |
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| STRESS | rapid growth ground cover. |
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| INCREASE | effectiveness of fire-retardant plantings with a high-pressure sprinkler system. |
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| REMEMBER | rains can normally be expected to start in October, so plan accordingly. |
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