Developing Land in Florida with Fire in Mind: Recommendations for Designers, Developers, and Decision-Makers

Martha C. Monroe, Jennifer M. Fill, Raelene M. Crandall, and Susan Marynowski

Release Date: 10/9/2023

Reviewed At: 7/22/2023

DOI: 10.32473/edis-fr059-2023

Natural Resources

Abstract

Fire protection is a necessary consideration when building homes and designing neighborhoods in Florida. The type, amount, and structure of vegetation surrounding the development and individual houses will affect the risk that homes will catch fire. Architects and developers can significantly reduce wildfire risk for those living and working in Florida by using fire-resistant materials and managing the landscape around developments. This publication details specific recommendations for planning and designing defensible developments, including wildfire mitigation planning, vegetation management, and home construction, and how to balance the risks with the costs of risk mitigation strategies.

About this Publication

This document is FOR 63, one of a series of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date November 1999. Revised April 2002, September 2012, December 2015, and October 2023. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication. This publication was produced by the University of Florida with assistance from a grant from the Advisory Council on Environmental Education of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

About the Authors

Martha C. Monroe, professor; Jennifer M. Fill, research assistant scientist; Raelene M. Crandall, associate professor; and Susan Marynowski, previous program coordinator; School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

How to Cite

Monroe, M., Crandall, R., Fill, J., & Marynowski, S. (2023). Developing Land in Florida with Fire in Mind: Recommendations for Designers, Developers, and Decision-Makers. EDIS, 2023(5). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-fr059-2023