Reduce flammable vegetation around the house. Cut back tree branches that hang over the roof. Keep shrubs and trees trimmed to remove low-hanging branches and deadwood. Cut down weeds. Avoid flammable wood structures in the garden.
Wood decks hanging over unkempt vegetation are the worst offender.
Cover decks with approved fire resistant skirting or use concrete or stone patios instead. Conifers like pine, cypress, cedar and juniper are the worst offenders. Other very flammable plants include bougainvillea, pampas grass, eucalyptus, New Zealand flax, chamise and many grasses. Any plant will burn, but plants with lots of water stored in their leaves, or which contain large quantities of salts, are more resistant to fire. Examples are succulents, oleander, myoporum, lawns and many low-growing groundcovers.