Firescaping & Resilience  The Southwest, especially California, is unique in its annual face-off with wildfires. Devastation that swept across Los Angeles County through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena in January 2025 ignited an intense public interest in how building and landscape design protects a property from or exposes it to intense, all-consuming flames. Though it's been over a year and a half since these fires began, the rebuilding process is only just beginning, as only 28 homes have been finalized and 1,420 projects are under construction. This is a small number compared to the 16,000+ structures that were destroyed over the span of 25 days. What this shows is that landscape design, build, and maintenance professionals still have an opportunity to have a profound impact on the rebuilding process and will for at least the next 1-2 years. By leaning in to learning from these last fires and applying new and well-tested strategies to the properties under your care, you will directly affect the resilience of these sites the next time Southern California is threatened with fire. Click Here to Register In continuation of the conversations started at last year's conference, the Sustainability Center will host a Future of Landscape Panel featuring local experts from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Building Industry Association (BIA), and Altadena Green who have been intimately involved with the clean-up and rebuilding process. The ASLA Southern California Chapter has headed a Wildfire Task Force to partner with Landscape Architects researchers from across the country, gathering existing research and engaging in new studies based on the L.A. fires to provide resources for any design professional who lives in the wildland-urban interface or who works in fire-prone areas. They have fostered cross-disciplinary conversation with associations like the BIA to identify where structures and landscape practitioners can bridge the gap to make homes resilient to fire.
A large portion of this effort has involved the work of Altadena Green, a non-profit founded by former UCLA professor Stephanie Landregan, FASLA that deploys a team of arborists to preserve existing, living trees in the Eaton fire burn area that are otherwise threatened by government officials uneducated in the signs of life. As of January 2026, the group has saved over 500 mature trees in Altadena that will preserve the tree canopy so crucial to cooling the area and accelerating the establishment of new plantings. On the rebuild end, the BIA Southern California Chapter has been working tirelessly to educate builders and developers on the highest wildfire resilience standards that can certify homes for potentially lower insurance costs. When combining best practices in firescaping – proactive landscape design techniques aimed towards reducing a property's wildfire risk – structural resilience towards fires across a neighborhood can create a fire break of sorts that protects not only the neighborhood but the surrounding communities that would otherwise fall in the fire's path. These three groups will share progress updates from their respective disciplines, point out blind spots and cross-industry gaps, celebrate environmental and building wins, and identify the knowledge and skills design, installation, and maintenance professionals need most right now to support their clients in the aftermath of this recent devastating fire and in anticipation of future fire events. 
A seminar led by last year's fire panelist Greg Rubin will augment the knowledge shared at this year's panel with an in-depth exploration of fire-resistant plants native to California. Based on Rubin's research with the U.S. Navy, this seminar will examine the phenomenon of native landscape fire resistance and the role adequate hydration plays. In addition to sharing general principles for native landscape design, installation, and maintenance, Rubin will go over the special maintenance considerations and pest control needs of native firescapes as well as techniques for maintaining hydration year-round.
Another fire panelist from last year, Douglas Kent, will conduct a separate seminar where attendees will learn about the main principles of a fire-protected property, identify the four primary reasons for inaction in fire country, and discuss design elements that encourage active care and stewardship to prevent destruction from fire. The information shared is aimed at increasing connection to the land for improved resilience, including reducing hazards and fostering health. Whether you design, install, or maintain landscapes, make sure you and your team are well positioned to handle the current rebuild and prevent future catastrophe on the properties under your care. 
Elsewhere on the hall floor, you'll have the opportunity to explore the Sustainability Center, watch demonstrations on the latest autonomous equipment and practices with the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), and earn CEUs for other sustainability-related topics like conducting irrigation system audits and navigating the world of smart controllers, learning from poor practices in landscape management, and integrating new plants into your landscapes. You can find a seminar for any topic you might want to learn about at The Landscape Expo! Register for your VIP Conference Package today to attend unlimited seminars and make the most out of the Sustainability Center and your Landscape Expo experience! Pre-Register Today and $ave! |
