Wildfire Defense Education

After the 2025 Los Angeles Regional Fires, we stand with affected communities in healing and recovery.

Together, we can rebuild homes, landscapes, and hope—stronger and more resilient than before. Visit our Wildfire Defense Rebuilding Support and Recovery Resources page to access tools, join workshops, and connect with experts in green rebuilding and resilience.

Be wildfire ready. Our Wildfire Defense Education program provides expert guidance, hands-on tools, and educational resources to help:

• Property owners

• Designers & developers

• Landscape professionals

• Community leaders

Wildfires are now a year-round risk in California. Learn how to harden properties, reduce fire spread, and support resilient community planning.

• Educate communities on strategies to fire-harden homes and landscapes
• Provide free access to wildfire defense resources
• Host on-site property tours in high-risk areas
• Train professionals in fire-resistant materials and landscaping

The USGBC California Wildfire Defense Professional Certificate Program has been developed specifically to educate construction professionals and landscapers. It equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to strengthen homes and landscapes against wildfires. This program emphasizes the use of appropriate materials, maintenance practices, and fire-resistant design techniques proven to reduce the risk of fire damage to properties.

Our goal is to pave the way for the private sector to embrace and promote firewise best practices, fostering a cultural shift within the building industry. These training sessions leverage existing resources and tap into the expertise of advisors from various fields to raise awareness and transfer knowledge about industry-leading methods that effectively mitigate fire risks in both residential spaces and landscapes.

• Offered quarterly |  Available in English & Spanish
• Includes 150-minute live training + certification test

Check out our upcoming workshops!

Our property tours serve as a platform to showcase comprehensive strategies for risk reduction. These tours include the latest techniques for fortifying homes and implementing firewise landscaping practices.

Explore real-world examples of fire-hardened homes and firewise landscapes. Open to:

• Residents

• Building professionals

• Public agencies

Topics include:

• Smart design to reduce heat traps

• Low-ignition materials & sealed building envelopes

• Strategic native plant selection

• Removal of flammable/invasive species

Watch Our Wildfire Forum & Virtual Tours:

• Thought Leadership Series: Reducing California’s Fire Risk – Tour led by Plant Prefab
• Thought Leadership Series: Reducing California’s Fire Risk – Tour led by: The Resource Conservation District of Santa Monica
• Thought Leadership Series: Reducing California’s Fire Risk – Tour led by: The Chaparral Institute
• Thought Leadership Series: Reducing California’s Fire Risk – Tour led by: FormLA Landscaping
• Thought Leadership Series: Reducing California’s Fire Risk – Tour led by: USGBC NorCal
• Firewise or fiction? Explore common misunderstandings about wildfires and the truth about protecting properties
• Mandeville Canyon Fire-Hardened Home Tour – Learn strategies for home hardening and defensive landscaping
• Virtual Tour of Firewise Homes in Malibu and Brentwood – Creating defensive landscapes through design strategies
• Creating Firewise Properties Webinar
• USGBC California & SCAG Wildfire Defense Forum & Virtual Tour

Looking to stay prepared for wildfire season? Find upcoming wildfire training sessions near you! Whether you’re a firefighter, land manager, or community member, these trainings cover essential skills like fire behavior, suppression tactics, defensible space, and emergency response. Stay informed, stay safe, and be ready to protect your community.

Check up our upcoming workshops!

We are deeply appreciative of the invaluable network of professionals within our community who have played a crucial role in the creation of the resources we are able to offer today. These resources encompass a toolkit, certification workshops tailored for landscapers and construction professionals, a Regional Forum, enlightening tours, and the contributions of numerous brilliant individuals!

To access valuable and extensive resources related to the home-hardening and wildfire defense landscaping process, please click here.

Are you interested in getting involved or would you like to receive more information? Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!