Fire Retardant Plants

Some lucky people live in, near or next to bushland. This can be great if you want to take a walk and watch the birds, wonder about the daily routines of the wildlife, or catch a waft and witness the new flowers of the season. The Australian bush is a beautiful place, but also a dangerous one which can threaten your life and property.
For many people in the local area who live near bushland reserves the threat of fire during the warm months is very real. There are however a number of steps that can be taken to minimise risk without removing all trees and shrubs. A number of people believe that if a plant is native, it is a fire risk; if it is exotic then it’s safe. This is not so: for example, many of the exotic conifers can become explosive in fire events, but are often included in landscaping close to the house.
Often during site assessment work in areas where people are complaining about the fire risk from the reserve, it can be seen that the threat is exacerbated by the property owners themselves: dried garden refuse is often dumped over the back fence on the reserve edge; fire-wood stacks are often near the back fence; gutters are full of leaves and bark.
If you are lucky enough to live near a bushland reserve, then take on the responsibility yourself for planning for a fire event:

• Clean your gutters or invest in some of the new types of guttering designed for water tanks that don’t accumulate bark or leaves
• Install a water tank (and pump, if necessary) to keep landscaping and mulch moist
• Maintain a clear zone on your own property between the house and the bushland (a lawn, a paved area or a pool)
• Direct and spread overflow rainwater to an area designed for fire retardant native plants at a safe distance from the house

“The use of trees as windbreaks is a common practice, but trees also provide a useful firebreak, trapping embers and flying debris that would otherwise reach buildings and structures. By reducing wind speed, a row of trees also slows the rate of spread of a bush fire and dense foliage traps radiant heat, lowering bush fire intensity.” LMCC DCP No.1 Part 2.1- Environmental Responsibility and Land Capability- 2.1.5 Bushfire Risk

The following species are chosen from the local area, but are more likely to be found in the “rainforest” areas within sites. Following site preparation and mulching, the species recommended below would provide a suitable planting model. Remember that no plant is fire proof and retention of existing trees is preferred.

Acmena smithii- Creek Lillipilly (Tree)
Alectyron subcinereus- Native Quince (Tree)
Alphitonia excelsa- Red Ash (Large tree)
Backhousia myrtifolia- Grey Myrtle (Small tree/shrub)
Baloghia lucida- Brush Bloodwood (Tree)
Breynia oblongifolia- Coffee Bush (Shrub)
Cassine australis- Red Olive Berry (Tree)
Clerodendrum tomentosum- Hairy Clerodendrum (Shrub)
Cryptocarya glaucescens- Jackwood (Tree)
Diospyros australis- Ebony Myrtle (Tree)
Diploglottis australis- Native Tamarind (Tree)
Elaeocarpus obovatus- Hard Quandong (Tree)
Elaeocarpus reticulatus- Blueberry Ash (Small tree)
Eupomatia laurina- Bolwarra (Shrub)
Ficus macrophylla- Moreton Bay Fig (Very large tree)
Ficus obliqua- Small-leafed Fig (Very large tree)
Ficus rubiginosa- Port Jackson Fig (Very large tree)
Glochidion ferdinandi- Cheese Tree (Tree)
Guioa semiglauca- Guioa (Tree)
Hymenosporum flavum- Native Frangipani (Tree)
Neolitsea dealbata- White Bollygum (Tree)
Omalanthus nutans- Bleeding Heart (Shrub/small tree)
Pararchidendron pruinosum- Snow wood (Tree)
Pittosporum undulatum- Sweet Pittosporum, Native Daphne (Tree)
Pittosporum revolutum- Rough-fruited Pittosporum (Shrub)
Pouteria (Planchonella) australis- Black Apple (Tree)
Rapanea howittiana- Brush Muttonwood (Small tree)
Rapanea variabilis- Muttonwood (Small tree/shrub)
Synoum glandulosum- False Rosewood (Tree)
Syzygium paniculatum- Magenta Lillipilly (Tree)
Trema tomentosum- Poison Peach (Shrub)
Wilkiea hugeliana- Wilkiea (Shrub)