Living in such a dry environment, most Kamloopsians are familiar with xeriscaping - trying to create a yard that requires less water.

But there's another step we have to start considering when planning our landscapes, as the residents of Aberdeen Glen Village have done: making their community Fire Smart.

Sparked by resident Walter Locke; they've formed a committee, are hiring a forester to consult with, holding a fire audit and working with City Fire Smart coordinator Kelly Johnson.

Those who live in the neighbourhood of 145 mobile homes are acutely aware of the fire fuels that surround them, like pine trees on neighbouring private land, and the fact there is only one entry and exit into their community, which would create a bottleneck for residents trying to get out and Fire and Rescue trying to get in if there was an emergency.

They're considering options like keeping hedges trimmed, removing flammable Juniper bushes, replacing cedar fencing with chain link and even ensuring visitors park in appropriate areas so as not to create more access issues.

Fire Smart landscaping doesn't have to mean barren, plantless gardens space either, rather less combustible options like using sand or gravel as mulch nearest one's home.

There is a wealth of information available for people who may not yet be ready to set up their neighbourhood as a Fire Smart community but are interested in making their own properties safer.

A downloadable guide that Karla Hoffman, the City's integrated pest management coordinator, helped put together is available at firesmartcanada.ca that includes a list of hundreds of fire-resistant plants as well as plants to avoid.

Fire Safe plants don't contribute to a fire's intensity as they have little sap and don't shed a lot of dead material; think maples, mock orange and clematis. Plants to steer clear of may have papery bark or resinous sap that could ignite easily, such as juniper, pine and fountain grass.

As the Fire Smart guide notes, "the landscape immediately adjacent to your home is a critical factor in determining the likelihood of your home surviving a wildfire."

It's something worth considering on the next trip to the local greenhouse.