How to plan for resilience in L.A.’s fire-prone neighborhoods
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Welcome to the middle of September! The autumnal equinox technically arrives one week from today, but I’m guessing it’s going to feel like summer for several more weeks in Los Angeles.
Last week, on what I hope will go down as the hottest day of 2026, a group of scientists, fire professionals and plant people gathered at the Angeles National Forest headquarters in Arcadia to discuss the state of urban forestry after last year’s Eaton and Palisades fires.
I was there to check in on what scientists have learned from these fires and how that knowledge might benefit us Angelenos.
Similar symposiums have been held at the same location in Septembers past, but the tenor of this year’s, hosted by TreePeople, was different. Many of the dozens of attendees indicated they had lost or feared for their homes during the fires.
The day’s first panel featured four California-based scientists discussing the results of their recent research into tree and plant health after the L.A.-area fires as well as other wildfires that have blazed through our state over the last several years. Much of the conversation centered around the new “Zone Zero” rules passed last month by California’s Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, which will apply to an estimated 2 million homes in fire hazard zones come 2031.
Overall, panelists reported throughout the day, the new policies are notably better than what was first proposed. (Times staff writer Noah Haggerty has chronicled this in detail.) But the broad brush of the policy still rankles some. The final regulations allow “only well maintained herbaceous plants, low lying lawns, and trimmed trees” from between 1 and 5 feet from buildings in designated wildfire hazard zones.
One of the morning panelists, UC Davis associate professor Alessandro Ossola, recounted the process of cataloging more than 200 types of trees on public lands in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades. Because speed was required and the scope was sizable, Ossola and his peers selected 45 quadrants rich in trees to study in detail across the two communities.
Among other findings that continue to trickle in, they determined that damage to trees was typically directional and rarely moved from a tree to a building. Notably, they also found it can take up to a year before it’s clear if any individual tree will survive a fire. Trees are not monoliths.
While waiting for the bus to tour two local native plant gardens after the day’s panels, I asked Ossola about what he hopes to communicate during ongoing conversations he has had with the state and its insurance industry.
“You need to remember that many buildings are made from 10,000 different materials — different flammabilities, plastics, whatever,” Ossola said. “An urban forest is exactly the same — 10,000 different plants, many of them native, many of them not, with different flammabilities too. So, from a fire engineering perspective, you’re treating a burning building in different ways. Why not do the same thing with plants?”
Ossola said he hopes to see the flammability of plants and trees delineated in greater detail to the public. He also hopes to see a home hardening policy enforced in the same fashion as Zone Zero.
“This is one tiny section of a much bigger palette of solutions we need, and we need them really fast,” Ossola said. “Because, this year, maybe we are lucky because we are dodging another fire season because of El Niño. But two years from now, after all this water and fuel buildup, we’re going to be here having exactly the same conversation.”
Francisco Escobedo, a social scientist for the Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Research Station, said the goal is for the forestry community to make specific plant-based recommendations for landscape management and maintenance within the next “couple of years.” These recommendations could then be followed by the average homeowner.
Hopefully the conversation continues. We’ll keep monitoring it.
Other garden bits
From Ashes to Action programming begins Wednesday
On Wednesday evening in the Ayres Hall at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, architects will share their design plans for the new Eaton Canyon nature center.
The old building burned down in the 2025 Eaton fire. Local architectural firm Sparano + Mooney has been tasked with the design, taking into consideration community feedback. Firm representatives and L.A. County Parks staff will take questions about their plans.
Next month, on Oct. 7, there will be another event centered on the landscaping design around Eaton Canyon. It will also be held in the Ayres Hall. The events are co-hosted by L.A. County’s Department of Parks and Recreation, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and the arboretum. Registration is required to attend either event. You can do so at this link.
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Free fruit and shade tree adoption events
Across Los Angeles on Saturday, City Plants and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power are collaborating to supply free fruit and shade trees to Los Angeles residents. All trees will come in 5-gallon containers. Visitors may be able to take home up to seven trees per household.
The three giveaway locations are at LADWP’s North Hills, Crenshaw and Watts offices. Trees are available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in North Hills and Watts and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Crenshaw.
Reservations are not necessary or possible. Just walk up with proof of L.A. residence. See this link for more information.
Upcoming events
Upcoming events (Sept. 17-30)
Sept. 17
Celebrating Seed: Gathering, Processing & Storing Native Seed, 9 a.m. to noon online. The Theodore Payne Foundation’s seed program and conservation manager, Genevieve Arnold, will discuss how to save seeds from native plants at home or in a community-garden setting. Arnold will demonstrate various seed processing tools and take questions. Tickets are $54 or $41 for members. theodorepayne.org
Sept. 19
Community Service Day at Descanso Gardens, 9 to 11 a.m. in La Cañada Flintridge. Bring gardening gloves and water to help care for the gardens on a Saturday morning. Moderate to heavy lifting is involved. Volunteers must be 16 or older. RSVP to volunteer@descansogardens.org. descansogardens.org
Guided Garden Tour at the Mathias Botanical Garden, 10 to 11 a.m. in Westwood. Explore UCLA’s on-campus garden with a garden guide for a free tour. Tours meet at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion and are free and open to all ages. botgard.ucla.edu
Eco-Friendly Foraging — Plants Walk/Wild Food Tasting & Drinks, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Sylmar. Local forager Pascal Baudar leads a 90-minute walk through the Angeles National Forest to identify the variety of plants that can be be found and foraged on local hikes. Attendees will then eat snacks and drinks featuring the plants. Tickets are $69. The class meets at Sylmar’s Reptacular Ranch. eventbrite.com
Sept. 20
Pressed Plant Art: Fall Colors at the California Botanic Garden, 10 a.m. to noon in Claremont. The garden’s herbarium collections manager, Annica Wu, will teach a two-part course on collecting and preserving plants using herbarium techniques. The goal is to create unique art pieces like cards and bookmarks. The class includes two sessions — Sept. 20 and 27 — and costs $75 for nonmembers and $65 for members. calbg.org
Sept. 21
Music in the Rose Garden at the Huntington, 1 to 3 p.m. in San Marino. The Huntington and the Pasadena Conservatory of Music collaborate to offer live music featuring solo or duo performers on classic instruments. Access is included with garden admission, which costs $29 for adults, $24 for seniors, students and military, or $13 for children ages 4-11. The event also takes place at the same time on Mondays from Sept. 28 through Nov. 9. huntington.org
Sept. 24
Alhambra Rain Gardens Walking Tour, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Alhambra. ActiveSGV hosts a tour of three recently completed residential rain-capture gardens featuring swales in this San Gabriel Valley city. All three gardens were established five months ago. The free tour covers about two miles on foot. activesgv.org
Sept. 26
National Public Lands Day at White Point Nature Preserve, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in San Pedro. The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy hosts a volunteer event at the preserve’s demonstration garden. There will be weeding, seed preparation, watering activities, children’s activities and more. pvplc.org
Sept. 27
Movida: A Day Party and Benefit Show Supporting El Sereno Community Garden at the El Sereno Community Garden, 1 to 6 p.m. in El Sereno. Learn about native plants and listen to solar-powered DJ sets at an event raising funds for the longstanding Eastside community garden. livingearth.la
What we’re reading
For The Times, writer Leigh-Ann Jackson profiled Indonesian botanical preservation artist Bunga Vidanska, who transforms real orchids and plumeria into jewelry and hair accessories out of her University Park studio apartment.
California lawmakers voted to shift a state forest system away from commercial logging and toward tribal co-management, considered a win for a longstanding movement. Times staff writer Lila Seidman reported the story.
Times staff writer Noah Haggerty detailed some of the environmental issues in the L.A. mayoral race raised during a recent forum arranged by the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters. Candidate Nithya Raman challenged Mayor Karen Bass’ record funding urban trees.
