Ashton Kutcher Tries to Protect Friend's Home From Wildfire With Garden Hose

Ashton Kutcher is putting his green thumb to good use, protecting his friend's home from a devastating wildfire ... by busting out a garden hose.

Video shows Ashton watering plants outside a buddy's estate in the Pacific Palisades in an effort to prevent the property from going up in flames ... in a blaze that's already destroyed tons of homes and businesses.

There are so many out-of-control fires ravaging the area right now, firefighters are stretched thin and folks are taking things into their own hands ... including Ashton.

A house down the street from Ashton's fire-prevention efforts already burned down ... so the stakes are high here.

It may not look like much, but Ashton wielding a garden hose could be a game-changer ... Cal Fire says well-watered plants tend to be less flammable ... and in a blaze like this, anything to curtail the flames helps.