Recommendations For Protecting Your Property After A Fire

Fire destroys hundreds of homes each year and often burns thousands of acres of land. If your property was damaged by fire, we’re pleased to offer some recommendations to help your landscape recover and to help protect your property.

In general, many plants and trees are exposed to fire in their native environment and many will recover in the spring and should be left alone. Any pruning or cutting back of fire-damaged plants should not be done until the plants show signs of recovery. Removing bark, leaves or limbs can expose the plants to sun damage. Heat from the sun can actually kill the tissue beneath the bark on some trees. It is best to leave them alone until new growth appears.

Some plants recover faster than others. Burned plants can still be green underneath and still have healthy roots. If similar plants appear to be recovering, wait a few more weeks before removing damaged parts. Full damage to woody plants may not be apparent until the next spring or summer season. Re-examine them at that time and then carefully remove damaged wood to make room for new growth. Ash on the plants will not cause damage and should be left alone.

Damaged trees that have branches that are cracked or overhanging homes, driveways etc., can be a future hazard, should be removed. 

Trees that have shifted in the soil due to wind or burn damage and those with burned roots should be removed as well, because they are now considered unstable and could potentially fall. If fire has completely burned off all the bark around the entire circumference of the tree and/or fire has burned deep into the trunk, the tree should also be removed.

Fertilization is not recommended. Immediately fertilizing can cause damage to the roots and cause additional harm to the plants. Waiting also gives the soil time to recover. Wait until the spring and fertilize at half rates with a product containing nitrogen. Do not fertilize with manures at that time, since they contain a high concentration of salts that can injure roots.

Plastic irrigation lines, parts and drains may be damaged. Check your existing irrigation system for leaks and damage and document them for your insurance company. Also shut off irrigation water immediately after a fire to help prevent erosion and further damage.

It is generally not recommended to water plants immediately after a fire. If your area is experiencing a drought and water is necessary, water gently by hand. Severely burned soils do not absorb water well. Make sure the flow of water is slow enough to be absorbed. Also examine and clean concrete drains and swales. Many become filled with ash and mud during a fire.

In areas where protective plants are removed or destroyed, soil becomes vulnerable to erosion. Soil erosion can happen slowly or it can happen very quickly in a heavy rain. The exact measures needed for your property are based on your soil type, slope grade, home location, weather, water availability etc. 

Areas exposed by fire can open the door for invasive species and weeds. In some areas erosion control materials or mechanical control measures may need to be applied. Contact your local Signature Landscapes plant specialist for guidelines in your area.

Water flow is an important factor of any erosion plan. Never underestimate the power of storm water and debris. Evaluating the area and planning for storm events is a critical first step to protecting your property and improper or inadequate measures can aggravate potential problems. If you need help with erosion control or fire prevention landscaping, be sure to hire a licensed professional who specializes in that area of expertise. Ask for references, insurance certificates and request to see their license. You'll want to protect your home and your neighbors' as well.

 It is also an important time to evaluate your property's landscape and damage. Take a look at what worked and what did not and try to determine how to make your property safer in case of a future fire. For future reference, it is also a good idea to keep records and photos of your landscape as part of your home inventory list for insurance purposes.

Tree hazards to avoid after a fire

Fire damaged trees that have branches that are cracked or overhanging homes, driveways etc., can be a future hazard, should be removed.

Trees that have shifted in the soil due to wind or burn damage and those with burned roots should be removed as well, because they are now considered unstable and could potentially fall. If fire has completely burned off all the bark around the entire circumference of the tree and/or fire has burned deep into the trunk, the tree should also be removed.

Evelyn Mount Receives a Brighter Holiday Home

For more than a decade, our community has been the recipient of good will, tireless dedication, and more than 20 tons of food for thousands of families. Provided free of charge from local philanthropist, Evelyn Mount, it all comes out of her modest one-story home in North Reno.  

And for the past six years, Christmas Décor by Signature Landscapes has tried to brighten the holidays for Ms. Mount by lighting up her home with thousands of colorful lights and decorations during the chilly months of the holiday season.

We are a Christmas company after all!

This year is no exception, and the reason is simple says Signature employee, Steven Fine, “The holidays can be a stressful time for folks navigating the rush of the holidays, and this year it seems harder than ever. It important to us Ms. Mount knows early on how proud we are to help brighten her home. In fact, she’s the first house we do every year. The crews love it, the neighbors love it, everyone gets excited!”

“These lights are the very least we could do to help deliver just a sliver of traditional and positive holiday spirit,” says Fine. “Our crews are out and about in the neighborhoods putting up lights for hundreds of homes. So it just makes sense to put a few more locations on the daily route. We are a Christmas company after all!”

The Mount home is just one of many remarkable non-profits the company lights up for the holidays. Along with the Evelyn Mount home, Christmas Décor also lights up the Ronald McDonald House, participates in the national Christmas Décor Decorated Family program, and provides holiday cheer for up to six non-publicized homes each year.

If you can help, donate items at her house located at 2530Cannan Street or the Sak ‘N Save on Oddie and Silverada Boulevards in Reno.

Christmas Lights for your home or office

Most of our clients come to us because they are either tired of hassling with their own holiday display, or they simply don’t have the time to do it. We also see clients who want better results, or are concerned about safety.

Our service package is designed to address all of these things—we completely handle everything for you. 

We eliminate the hassle and time investment, but we also have the benefit of training and practice, so we achieve great results. We are also aware of the safety issues associated with holiday decorating, and have taken steps to prevent accidents and injury.

Our service package is all inclusive... so you don’t have to worry about anything. The package includes:

• Design
• Installation
• Post-season Removal
• Proactive Maintenance - we'll fix all of your issues!

All products are included in the service, so you don’t have to worry about purchasing new lights, greenery, timers and accessories. Our goal is to come back and reinstall your display every year, and we will replace items as needed, and will make adjustments/replace bulbs during one of our proactive service visits. 

Award Winning Event Leaves us Holding Two Trophies!

Our design and installation team walked away with two huge awards for Residential Landscape Artistry at the 2011 BANNer Awards. Our resident Plant Guru, Brian Dean, was the fellow in charge of the evening as he picked up the two awards. That's him in the snappy vest! Click the two links below to find out how we did it - and view some nice photos too!

• BEST RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE UNDER $1 MILLION 
• BEST OUTDOOR LIVING 

Read on to learn a little more about the award-winning Reno Lawn & Landscape design and consultation process. We're so proud of these homes and we really want to thank the home owners for allowing us to spread our wings and design such beautiful work!

Best Residential Landscape 2011

Functional elegance forms this large landscape - White's Creek Area

> Bare dirt & boulders transformed into a beautiful family home

The Rowe’s residence is a large stucco Tanamera home built in the shadow of Mt. Rose/Galena area of South Reno. The bare-dirt footprint was almost one-half acre, surrounded by large scrub brush, randomly placed pines, and some cottonwood growing in a ditch behind the property. So overall, this was a blank canvas suitable for any design.

Our instructions were initially simple; use as much color as possible, create a unique landscape feature, and make sure a mountain theme rolls through the entire design.


Our team, lead by our designer, Brian Dean, broke the project down to three production pieces. In 2011, we have seen completion of the first two important phases and have turned this standard home into a showcase property for the owner as well as Tanamera Development.

Due to the large square footage of the driveway and entry walk, we chose an older-style of paver in a muted but colorful pattern to match the surrounding environment – the look was to mimic that of an older dirt/DG driveway.

Two first two phases have integrated color wherever and whenever possible. Flowering plants as well as foliage in greens and reds were used to accomplish this natural but vibrant palette – colors that will provide substance during the winter as well. Taking advantage of the property’s large boulders, and to continue the mountain theme, two aspen groves and Austrian pines were integrated into the front yard.

The backyard area was designed for entertaining and privacy. A functional vineyard on the east side gives a wine country feel to the viewer, as well as an untraditional whimsy not typically felt in a Truckee Meadows property. A third patio within the vineyard is designed for the phase three, slated to begin in early spring 2012.

Using natural boulders around the entire property helped to set the home within the Mt Rose scenery perfectly. Drip irrigation was key to keeping the water-usage numbers reasonable. Limited turf still allows cooling to the house in hot summer months, while keeping the largest water consumer at bay.

Overall, this landscape showcases how a colorful and complex outdoor environment can be attained without breaking the bank, can be simple to maintain for years following installation, and will deliver immediate satisfaction for the homeowner and guests for generations to come

Best Outdoor Living Award - 2011

Somersett Residence – Northwest Reno

> A million-dollar view with an equally stunning outdoor entertaining area

After the Serratt family purchased their beautiful Somersett home in 2010, they had barely a year to dream up the perfect outdoor space to entertain family and friends. With a stunning vista of the Truckee River canyon winding west toward the mountains, the setting demanded a perfect patio setting.

After a number of consultations with the client, with the help of the Reno Lawn & Landscape design team, they decided a multi-level, multi-featured living space was in order. 

Deciding against a standard flat expanse of cement and grass, the family wanted separate entertaining areas specific to the audience. For example, immediately outside the French doors from the living room, the largest of the three cultured stone patios provides space for cooking, plenty of seating – either stone bench or furniture, plus a demure river stone bubbler fountain off to the side. All together, guests will enjoy the zen-like audio of water while enjoying the spacious Nevada view.

A second patio space allows for overflow and more seating. The bubbler fountain, at ground-level with this patio, is now surrounded by lush sweeping swaths of cooling turf. The turf is not large enough to demand considerable water costs and instead allows the eye to follow it’s path to the fence and further down the canyon.

Up the incline you’ll find a discreet, simple fire pit perfectly suited for intimate entertaining situations. 

Closest to the canyon slope, the view is at it’s finest. Curving seat walls substitute as a table for your wine and favorite hors d'oeuvre.

The design is strikingly simple and fits the character of the homeowner to a tee. Maintenance is designed to be quick and simple. Two young trees are situated to provide much needed shade when they mature.

Side note: the neighbors to the north loved this landscape so much, they hired Reno Lawn & Landscape to build their canyon vista. Expect to see this beautiful addition in next year’s BANNer awards!