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Common garden plant a danger: 'Don't invite the fire home'
🇸🇪 Sweden /Disasters & Emergencies

Common garden plant a danger: 'Don't invite the fire home'

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Common garden plants like thuja, cypress, and juniper, which contain flammable oils, pose a significant fire risk, especially near homes.
  • These plants can ignite rapidly, with entire bushes potentially catching fire in under a minute, acting as fuel for existing fires.
  • Experts advise removing dead or overgrown flammable plants near buildings and considering planting less combustible species like deciduous trees.

Sweden's residential areas are dotted with easily flammable plants, posing a serious fire hazard, particularly after a major fire in Drammen, Norway. Experts are now drawing renewed attention to how common garden species can rapidly spread flames to houses.

In less than a minute, the entire bush can be in full flame.

— Mattias DelinDescribing the speed at which flammable garden plants can ignite and spread fire.

Mattias Delin, research director at Brandforsk, warns about what he calls "the evil trinity" of flammable plants: thuja, cypress, and juniper, often including spruce. These coniferous plants are dry and contain essential oils, making them highly combustible. "Anyone who has ever tried to light a dry juniper twig knows how incredibly easily it catches fire," Delin stated.

Anyone who has ever tried to light a dry juniper twig knows how incredibly easily it catches fire.

— Mattias DelinIllustrating the high flammability of certain common garden plants.

The primary danger isn't that these plants start fires themselves, but that they act as accelerants for existing blazes. "You don't want thuja close to your house or your neighbor's house. They burn up very quickly – in less than a minute, the entire bush can be in full flame," Delin explained. This rapid spread is a significant concern, especially during dry periods.

You don't want thuja close to your house or your neighbor's house.

— Mattias DelinAdvising on the placement of flammable plants relative to homes.

With Sweden experiencing high to extreme wildfire risks in some areas, Delin advises long-term garden planning and immediate action if necessary. "If you have a large, dead thuja right next to the house, it might be a good idea to remove it. Don't invite the fire home," he urged. While the exact cause of the Drammen fire remains under investigation, videos show plants igniting sequentially within seconds, contributing to the destruction of over 100 homes. Delin suggests that planting deciduous trees, like birch, which absorb significant heat and water, can serve as a firebreak and offers a safer alternative to dense coniferous hedges.

If you have a large, dead thuja right next to the house, it might be a good idea to remove it. Don't invite the fire home.

— Mattias DelinRecommending immediate action for homeowners with potentially hazardous garden plants.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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