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When I speak with residents about home hardening, I often hear the same response: “I have insurance. Why would I spend all that money removing hedges and the Italian cypress if my house will just get rebuilt anyway?” On some level, it is hard to argue with that logic. Home hardening is not the most exciting way to spend hard-earned money. Removing mature hedges and trees that took years to establish can also mean giving up privacy on a lot that may already feel small and exposed. But the reality is far more complicated than simply assuming insurance will make everything whole again. Consider this recent New York Times article  about the aftermath of the Palisades fire. One of the most striking parts is the story of Marcela Silva: “More than a year after the fire, some Palisades residents are still unsure they’ll ever be able to afford to return home. For Marcela Silva, the weeks and months after the blaze were filled with urgent needs, both big and small: ‘Where am I going to live right now? I need a toaster oven right now.’ With those questions behind her, Ms. Silva said, figuring out the future is proving to be the hardest part. Ms. Silva’s home in a part of the Palisades known as the Bluffs was her financial security. After it burned down, she wasn’t able to get any assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and she is still going through tedious processes with her insurer, the California F.A.I.R. Plan. She has explored options for rebuilding, but isn’t sure she can afford a house similar to the one she got in her divorce in 2020 and that once stood valued at $4 million. She knows she is better off than some elderly and lower-income neighbors, but she also isn’t one of the ultra-wealthy Palisades residents the area is known for. Even if she can afford to rebuild, she worries that the fire left behind toxic pollution and wonders if her new house would just feel like a matchbox waiting to burn.” We often assume that when disaster strikes, insurance companies or the government will step in and make us whole. But what we are seeing in Pacific Palisades suggests otherwise. Recovery can mean years of bureaucracy, documentation, disputes, delays, and emotional exhaustion. A friend of mine, Alan Cohen, lost his home in the Palisades fire. Over the past year, he has had to comb through old receipts and photographs just to prove to State Farm that he owned the items he lost. Imagine trying to document a lifetime of belongings after everything has already burned. Insurance companies may reimburse some losses, but they are unlikely to restore everything you had, and they certainly cannot restore your time, peace of mind, or sense of home. That is why home hardening matters. What may feel like an inconvenience today could pay enormous dividends in the event of a catastrophic fire. Simple improvements, such as installing ember-resistant mesh on attic, eave, and foundation vents, can significantly improve a home’s chances of surviving an ember storm. Spending a few thousand dollars now may save you years of your life later that would otherwise be spent fighting to rebuild, replace, and recover. And beyond the financial cost, there is the emotional one: the loss of the home where your children played, where your family gathered, where milestones were celebrated, and where so many memories were made. Home hardening is not just about protecting a structure. It is about protecting your time, your stability, your memories, and your future.

It’s been just over 13 months since the Palisades and Eaton Fires forever changed the landscape of Los Angeles. I still remember the feeling that swept across the city on January 8, 2025 — that sudden, sobering realization that Los Angeles is far more fragile than we ever allowed ourselves to believe. In that moment, it felt like our city — this place we love — could disappear in a single firestorm. We watched on television as entire neighborhoods burned, and it became painfully clear: there aren’t enough firefighters or fire engines in the world to stop destruction on the scale we were seeing. So where is that feeling now? When the first rain finally came in February 2025, you could almost feel the collective anxiety ease. We had survived. But what followed surprised me. As a community, we began grieving — and like so many who endure trauma, we entered the stage of denial. Neighbors who had been outspoken and motivated about confronting our vulnerabilities suddenly went quiet. Conversations stopped. Projects stalled. Like so many large-scale disasters, once we were spared, it became easier to move on… and try to forget. I understand that instinct. Truly. I’ll be the first to admit: spending money on removing risky vegetation or installing ember-resistant mesh isn’t glamorous. It’s not exciting. It doesn’t feel urgent — until it is. But let me ask you this: Would you drive through Los Angeles without wearing a seatbelt? Would you put your child on a skateboard without a helmet? Ninety-five percent of home loss during urban conflagrations like the Palisades and Eaton Fires happen because of embers. Not towering walls of flame — embers. If you could improve your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire by as much as 50% with an investment of $1,500 or less, would you do it? If your answer is yes — what are you waiting for? The hard truth is this: much of the development across Southern California over the past 100 years has placed us directly in harm’s way. We’ve built communities in an ecosystem that is designed to burn. Then we landscaped it. Watered it. Let it grow for decades. The fact that your home has stood for 50 or even 100 years does not make it fireproof today. And with a changing climate, the risk is not decreasing. We have a choice to make: adapt — or risk losing what we’ve built. I know it can feel overwhelming. So where do you start? Assess your home’s vulnerabilities. Begin with the improvements that make the biggest impact and that fit within your budget. You'd be surprised that the items that make the most impact are the least expensive. Make a plan for the more costly upgrades. Coordinate with your neighbors — wildfire resilience works best as a team effort. Commit to one fire-hardening project each month. Small, consistent action adds up. The sooner you begin, the more prepared your home will be when the winds return and the next red flag warnings appear. And remember — you don’t have to do this alone. Reach out to your local Fire Safe Council. We live and breathe wildfire data. We’re here to help you take the first step — and the next one after that. Reach out to the Hollywood Hills Firesafe Council or Visit our Website