the CCAC fellows facilitated a Wildfire Evacuation Board Game in the Pacific Palisades with members of the Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC), the evacuation task force, and emergency preparedness committee. The SMMFSC will continue to distribute this game and teach wildfire preparedness within the Santa Monica Mountains.

The Santa Monica Mountains Fire Safe Council (SMMFSC) partnered with Wildfire Defenders/ Wildfire Defense Mesh to launch a pilot Community Mesh Program in the Seminole Springs community. As a pilot initiative, the project provided valuable insight into organizing volunteer-driven home hardening efforts. 

The California Climate Action Corps fellows at the Santa Monica Mountains Fire Safe Council held their final GSOB survey day at Cheeseboro Canyon. This completes the spring BLITZ and we hope to hold more surveys in the future to continue monitoring for GSOB.

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Community members came out to the Malibu Forestry Unit to learn more from local organizations about wildfire resiliency. This event featured the newly completed Wildfire Learning Center and Defensible Space Demonstration Garden, screen printing, acorn art, and the winners of our Student Art Contest. Highlight Video HERE.

100+ regional Firewise leaders came out to the Calabasas Community Center for the Firewise Leadership Workshop, co-hosted by SMMFSC and Calabasas Firewise. SMMFSC's own Pauline Allen moderated a panel about Defensible Space and Fire-Safe Planting.

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SMMFSC hosted our second GSOB survey day at Santa Susana SHP. This park is expected to be one of the next areas we see GSOB. Participants had a chance to survey trees and create baseline data for future surveys. Thank you to California State parks and LA County Agricultural Weight and Measures. 

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Throughout the spring, we had over 30 volunteers come out to the Wildfire Learning Center to help plant over 1,000 native plants in the demonstration garden! The garden now contains a diverse meadow! The garden is used to show community members proper defensible space using native, fire-resistant plants. ​

SMMFSC joined the community in supporting the Pile Burn in Topanga. This was a successful prescribed fire treatment that reduced hazardous fuels. This was a great step in the right direction for fuel reduction and wildfire safety in southern California. ​

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CCAC hosted an in-person GSOB training session with partners Wen Wang from LA Country Fire-Forestry Division and Rachel Burnap from LA County Agricultural Commissioner Weights and Measures. Watch the recorded virtual session by Rachel Burnap and review the slides presented by Wen Wang here.

SMMFSC hosted a community workday with the Westlake Pointe FireWise community. With twenty people coming out in the heat to help clear hazardous debris, we were able to completely fill a 40 yard dumpster! We want to thank all the passionate volunteers that helped make a difference in this community! Read more on The Acorn! 

The SMMFSC completed the Vent Retrofit Pilot Program, retrofitting 28 homes with 1/16th Wildfire Defense Mesh. All residents received free mesh and installation! The SMMFSC prioritized vulnerable communities throughout the SMMFSC and hopes to make this is an ongoing program.

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We hosted our first round of Wildfire Cafés this spring. The virtual and in-person event at Getty Villa provided a meaningful space for the community to connect, reflect, and heal together one year after the 2025 fires. We hope to continue hosting these gatherings in the future!

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SMMFSC joined Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (TCEP) to do a community workday at the TCEP Emergency and Operations Center. Community members came together to remove hazardous vegetation and learn more about defensible space. Volunteers were rewarded with a BBQ lunch and a sense of fulfillment!

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Manzanita Middle School visited the Malibu Forestry Unit on Las Virgenes Rd. for a field trip. Students rotated through hands-on activities including nursery work, a demo house tour, and a guided nature walk.  If your school is interested in a visit, please email pauline@smmfsc.org.

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The SMMFSC supported a community-led defensible space through habitat restoration program on Entrada Road in Topanga that bordered State Park land. Along with the SMMFSC, a group of volunteers spent a day planting native species including scrub oaks, coast live oaks, and toyon shrubs. The hillside is now a budding oak grove offering fire protection.​

This was an educational workshop hosted by SMMFSC and Dr. Lee Klinger, tree scientist and author of “Forged by Fire” led the workshop and educated the group on tree care and ecosystem resilience. Some activities included an application of fire clearance methods, soil and trunk care methods, and a diagnosis and demonstration of a surgical remedy for stem canker infections.