![]() The small, short-lived flowers have five petals. The stiff, woody branches are greyish in color and the leaves have a hairy surface that gives the entire plant a dusty green appearance. The shrub shape can vary considerably from low, twisted, and spreading to upright and heavily-branched. Three well-separated teeth on the end of the small (¼ to ½ inch) leaf provide bitterbrush with its name (“tridentata”) and most distinguishing feature. Frequently Ask Questions about bitterbrush In open areas, bitterbrush should be thinned to provide no more than 20% ground cover. Removing bitterbrush on private property in Sunriver: Bitterbrush shall be removed within 15’ of a structure (including garages, decks or any enclosures), and 3’ beyond the dripline of any pine or deciduous trees. Bitterbrush’s stems, branches, and leaves contain volatile oils and accumulate dead and dry material within the plant – making it flammable and fire-prone. The shrub is an important food source for wildlife and deer, birds, squirrels, and other animals use bitterbrush for cover. A member of the Rose family (Rosaceae), bitterbrush blossoms with sweet-smelling yellow flowers in early spring. The shrub can grow from seed or by stems that lay on the ground and sprout new roots and branches. IS YOUR PROPERTY DEFENSIBLE AGAINST WILDFIRE?Ĭommon names: Bitterbrush, Antelope bitterbrushīackground: Sunriver's most abundant vegetation, bitterbrush is a native, deciduous shrub well adapted to Central Oregon’s climate. Owners that follow the guidelines in the Sunriver Ladder Fuels Reduction Plan will further reduce the intensity and growth of a wildfire and create a safer place for firefighters to control and contain the fire and defend Sunriver homes. Ladder fuels reduction also includes thinning of larger trees to reduce competition to promote forest health as well as to slow spread of fire should it reach the tree canopy. Ladder fuels are the accumulation of combustible materials linking the ground to the tree canopy and include bitterbrush, live and dead limbs and tree seedlings. Ladder Fuels Reduction or “LFR” for Sunriver owners is a “foundation to property line” approach to wildfire and ember storm mitigation. Hardening, or preparing, your home starts at the top of your structure and works down, clearing combustible materials and blocking access points for embers. Home hardening addresses the most vulnerable components of a home with building materials, installation techniques, and elimination of conditions that make a home susceptible to ember ignition. Science tells us that this zone, which includes the home and all associated structures (such as decks, enclosures, etc.) and extends outward for five feet, is the most at risk for embers. Home hardening is a “chimney to foundation” approach to wildfire and ember ignition mitigation. Taking proactive measures is critical because when a wildfire occurs, it might be impossible for firefighters to reach and protect all individual properties, depending on the fire’s size, intensity and the availability of firefighting resources. There are many ways owners can secure their property to minimize damage and keep their homes and future safe when there is a wildfire event in the Sunriver area. ![]() There is a two-pronged approach to protecting your property: Concentrating efforts in two areas, home hardening and ladder fuels reduction, makes reducing fire risk manageable and achievable. ![]() Spending a weekend or two prior to fire season and performing regular maintenance year-round can help protect your home from wildfires and preserve a lifetime of memories. Work done within the "home ignition zone" is also called creating “defensible space.” ![]() More than 30 years of research and fire science shows that what an owner does in the immediate area around their home has the greatest impact on home ignition – regardless of the surrounding vegetation or forest management. Like other communities located within a wildland-urban interface, or “WUI” – an area where homes, structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildlands or vegetative fuels – Sunriver faces risks associated with wildfires.Ī property owner can take steps that will determine how wildfire will affect their home and property. The beauty of the forest environment, however, co-exists with the risk of wildfires. Sunriver is blessed with natural attributes rarely found in any development. A Sunriver home may represent a cherished gathering place where family milestones are celebrated, a restorative escape from the daily grind, a valued income-source that funds lifelong dreams, or a legacy asset that can be passed to the next generation. For many people, owning a property in Sunriver is among the most important investments they will make.
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