One Spark Away: Defend Your Pima County Home or Community from Wildfire with Firewise Landscaping

A Close Call in the Foothills

Last summer, in a quiet Pima County neighborhood near the Tucson foothills, monsoon lightning sparked a brush fire in a dry desert wash. Winds pushed flames toward nearby homes where invasive buffelgrass had turned golden and brittle—perfect tinder for wildfire.

But one homeowner, Jennifer, had already taken steps to protect her property. Earlier that spring, she’d had a crew out removing dense patches of buffelgrass from the slope behind her house, clearing out dead brush, and replacing flammable mulch with decorative gravel. She’d also had her mesquites and palo verdes thinned to reduce the chance of “ladder fuels”—the kind of vegetation that lets ground fires climb into the canopy.

When embers blew across the wash, they landed in her rock beds and dry-free zones, where they quickly fizzled out. Firefighters later said Jennifer’s yard likely slowed the spread and gave them precious minutes to stop the flames before they reached other homes.

Her preparation didn’t just save her house—it helped protect her entire neighborhood.

Why National Fire Prevention Week Matters in Pima County

October 5–11 is National Fire Prevention Week, and while many Americans are checking smoke alarms, here in Pima County, our biggest fire risk is outdoors. (NFPA.org)

With hotter temperatures, longer dry spells, and the spread of invasive buffelgrass, our desert is becoming more flammable each year. Buffelgrass grows fast, dies faster, and burns hotter than native desert plants—turning the Sonoran landscape into a dangerous fuel bed that threatens homes, wildlife, and even saguaros. (Pima County Wildfire Preparedness)

But as Jessica’s story shows, prevention works. Homeowners, HOAs, and realtors can take proactive steps to keep properties safe and resilient.

7 Ways to Firewise Your Desert Landscape

1. Create Defensible Space - Maintain a 30-foot buffer around your home that’s free of dead vegetation and debris. Use gravel, decomposed granite, or river rock instead of bark mulch or wood chips.

2. Remove Buffelgrass and Dry Brush - Identify and remove buffelgrass and other invasive species that fuel wildfires. Replace them with drought-tolerant, low-fuel native plants like cactus, agave, or desert marigold. (Pima County Buffelgrass Information)

3. Prune and Maintain Year-Round - Trim trees and shrubs so they don’t touch roofs or each other. Remove low branches and dead wood. Fire moves fast through dry, overgrown landscapes.

4. Harden Your Home - Clean gutters, screen attic vents, and seal gaps to prevent embers from entering your home. A single wind-blown ember can ignite a roof or deck.

5. Choose Fire-Resistant Plants - Opt for succulents and low-sap plants like agave, ocotillo, and yucca. Avoid dense plantings of highly flammable species like rosemary and fountain grass. (Pima County Living with Wildfire Guide)

6. Irrigate for Health, Not Excess - Maintain your irrigation system to keep plants healthy but avoid overwatering. A healthy, well-pruned landscape is less likely to ignite.

7. Work Together as a Community - Wildfire doesn’t respect property lines. Encourage your HOA or neighborhood to organize Firewise clean-up days or participate in the Firewise USA® program. (NFPA Firewise USA® Resources)

Certified Firewise Expertise in Tucson

At Sonoran Oasis Landscaping, owner Deborah Munoz-Chacon holds a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Certificate in Reducing Wildfire Risk to Property—training that covers advanced wildfire mitigation and landscape safety practices.

With that expertise, our team designs and maintains landscapes that are not only beautiful but defensible—reducing wildfire risk through smart plant placement, irrigation management, and buffelgrass control.

Don’t Wait Until the Smoke Is in the Air

Wildfires in Pima County don’t just happen “out there” in the mountains anymore. They’re creeping closer to neighborhoods every year. The combination of buffelgrass, overgrown vegetation, and dry winds can turn a small spark into a disaster.

This National Fire Prevention Week, take action. Firewise your landscape now, before the next storm or spark threatens your property.

Call (520) 546-2994 or visit Sonoran Oasis Landscaping to schedule a Firewise landscape consultation today.

Author

Deborah Munoz-Chacon

Owner - Sonoran Oasis Landscaping

ISA Certified Arborist Lic # WE-6083A