USGBC California has announced the first major update to its California Wildfire Rebuilding Guide, aiming to help families affected by the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires rebuild with greater resilience, safety and long-term climate considerations.
The organization will present the updated version during the "Wildfire Rebuilding Guide Version 2 Launch Webinar" on Sept. 21, 2026, from noon to 1 p.m. The webinar will explore key updates and build on the strategies and resources in the first version, released in April 2025, which has been downloaded by thousands of homeowners and professionals.
Supported in part by LADWP and Clean Power Alliance and originally created with sustainable development consulting firm Arup, the guide provides guidance on fire-resistant and sustainable materials, landscape stewardship and all-electric homes. New additions include information on stacking available incentives to make resilient rebuilding more affordable.
"Eighteen months into the rebuilding process, we've learned an enormous amount from wildfire survivors, community organizations, builders, utilities, insurers, and resilience experts working on the ground," said Ben Stapleton, CEO of USGBC California. "This updated guide turns those lessons into practical choices homeowners can use today. Rebuilding is incredibly personal, and there is no single right path."
Key takeaways from the update include step-by-step soil testing and remediation guidance, updated Board of Forestry guidance on Zone 0, ways to save water with smart devices, cost-effective home electrification and how building back resiliently can make a home more insurable.
State Sen. Henry Stern, D-Los Angeles, who lost his home in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, said the guide translates on-the-ground experience into actionable strategies. "It is about giving families and businesses the tools to build back safer, smarter, and more resiliently against the climate realities we face today," he said.
Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath said the guide reflects the climate-conscious approach the county has called for. "Recovery cannot simply mean rebuilding what stood before," she said. "We have to rebuild for the conditions we face now and the future we know is coming."
The guide was developed with USGBC California's Wildfire Defense Advisory Group and dozens of building, design, planning and resilience professionals. Beyond wildfire, it addresses resilience to hazards including earthquakes, droughts, floods and extreme heat.
The organization's California Wildfire Recovery & Rebuilding Hub also offers home hardening toolkits, training programs, community workshops and connections to qualified professionals.
Edited by SMDP Staff