Do Firewise initiatives ward off -- or help spark -- catastrophic wildfires?
"I've never seen the sunrise so bright, ASLA's past president Dennis Otsuji recalls his wife saying. "It's bright orange to the east." The date was October 26, 2003, and what they were seeing was the glow of the Cedar Fire, 10 miles from their San Diego home of 18 years. One of seven wildfires that scorched 600,000 acres from Los Angeles to the Mexican border in a week, the Cedar Fire ultimately destroyed nearly 1,500 homes and killed 15 people... Wildcat Canyon is textbook 'Urban Wildland Interface,' the term firefighters use for areas where residences spread into rugged wooded landscapes... If a seasoned landscape architect, well versed in local conditions, cant guarantee the safety of his home by following landscaping codes, how can those codes help homeowners with less expertise, or people who are in complete denial about the dangers of fire?"
Thanks to Jeffrey Lofton
FULL STORY: Crying "Fire!" in a Crowded Landscape

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie