Urban Trees Survive Fires, Need Smarter Protection

0:00UCLA researchers are diving deep into how urban trees survive the Eaton and Palisades fires last year. Led by Edith the Guzman, their team has surveyed hundreds of trees and burns guards, focusing on public sidewalks with diverse species. A big pattern stands out, trees got torched by nearby houses, not the other way around. This data could be the most detailed yet on city tree canopies facing megafires fueled by climate change. They use hands-on checks, plus remote tools like LIDAR from UC Davis to track leaf cover, trunk health, and new sprouts. Early results show mature trees across species bounce back strong, with many even growing taller in the past year. Jacarandus and Brisbane box trees, for example, are flowering and pushing out fresh growth despite chard bark. Folks in fire-hit spots like Pacific Palisades feel the loss hard, especially with trees vanishing amid rebuilds. Survivors see it as another blow after losing homes. Other studies from places like Paradise and Ventura, back this up, noting drier plants near building spell trouble, but well water trees might.

1:07Shield structures from embers. Experts push for smarter rules over blanket cuts, like hardening homes and picking fire-resilient species. Illegal removals by developers are spiking, even for trees on the mend. Urban fires spread differently than wildland blazes, so location-specific plans are key to saving both homes and greenery. Bottom line. These trees endured insane heat and they're fighting to stay. By monitoring instead of chopping, we can replant wisely, keep neighborhood shaded, and build back resilient against the next round of flames. This has been California News Today, powered by AI.