Choose safe, green options for your garden. Apeldoorn is situated on the edge of the Veluwe’s forests and countryside. This means there is a risk of wildfires, particularly during dry spells. Due to climate change, such spells are becoming increasingly common.
Fireproof your garden
What can you do?
Do you live in a wooded area? Or nearby? If so, plant plants and shrubs in your garden or against your house that won’t catch fire easily. This will help reduce the risk of a wildfire.
What’s the best way to design your garden?
- Choose deciduous trees. They are less likely to catch fire than conifers. Examples of deciduous trees include beech, oak and maple.
- Plant a row of deciduous trees around your property.
- Make sure there is enough space between greenery and buildings. Do not plant shrubs or trees right up against a building.
- Is there a conifer hedge around your property and would you like to replace it? If so, choose a hedge that is less likely to catch fire. This could be a privet hedge or a beech hedge, for example.
- Create open spaces between your property and the woodland or nature reserve. You could use stones and rocks for this, for example. Or create a driveway or path.
- Put items that catch fire easily in a safe place. Items such as your garden furniture, camper van or boat with a fuel tank.
- Do not place any wood for the open fire against the façade.
What is the best way to carry out maintenance?
- Keep the grass short and wet in dry weather.
- Remove natural ‘fire ladders’. A fire ladder is an area with several layers of vegetation. A fire can spread from one layer to the next, like climbing a ladder.
- Remove dead plants and branches regularly.
- Prune trees regularly.
What else can you do?
On the fire service website Read on to find out what other measures you can take in and around your home to reduce the risk of fire.