Residents fight back against dangerous 'kerosene' plant that can fuel wildfires: 'Collaboration is critical'

Scotch broom is a yellow, flowering shrub introduced to North America for ornamental purposes and later used to combat soil erosion. According to the National Park Service, the invasive species grows throughout the seasons, and its seeds stay viable in the soil for many years.

This plant's ability to thrive on dry hillsides, dry shrublands, and dry riverbeds is dangerous. Its flammable properties make it ideal for fueling wildfires. The Times Colonist reported that residents of Victoria on Vancouver Island are being encouraged to remove this invasive plant to protect the area's soil, biodiversity, and infrastructure.

Executive director of the Broombusters Invasive Plant Society, Joanne Sales, said that in a wildfire, scotch broom acts "like kerosene" and is most vulnerable in the spring. Its dry branches and high oil content are what make the plant so flammable.

Invasive plants, whether highly flammable or not, pose a threat to the ecosystems they invade. To ensure they are part of the solution, consumers can plant natural lawns and native plants in their yards to encourage pollinators and support a balanced ecosystem.

Natural ground covers like buffalo grass and clover not only help the environment, but they also require little upkeep, saving consumers time and money on lawn care.

While they encourage pollinator visits, natural lawns and native plants don't rid spaces of their invasive counterparts.

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There are programs for invasive plant removal. Kansas City, Missouri, for example, has invited goats to its riverfront for the third year to eat invasive shrubs, according to KCUR. There are also volunteer opportunities across the United States for invasive plant removal.

Because of their prevalence, when invasive plants over-crowd native plants and disrupt the soil, the hassle of removal is up to the people as well as the government.

"No one person, group, agency or government can effectively control invasive plant species alone, and collaboration is critical to everyone's success," minister of Forests, Ravi Parmar, said in a press release, per the Times Colonist.

Green Team program manager Kailin Warner said to the Times Colonist, "We want to make sure that we're taking care of one another and building strong communities that are involved in taking care of the environment."